By MARCUS HENRY marcus.henry@newsday.com
Stony Brook baseball is dancing again.
Sparked by a stellar outing by lefthander Adam Brown and back-to-back homers by Pat Cantwell and Chad Marshall, top-seeded Stony Brook defeated No. 4 Albany, 4-2, in the America East Tournament championship game in Vestal, N.Y., on Friday.
Stony Brook (29-25) earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, its second in the last three years.
"To win a championship two of three years says a lot as to where we've come," Stony Brook coach Matt Senk said.
Stony Brook took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run home run by Cantwell. Marshall followed with a home run to centerfield to make it 4-1.
Cantwell, a West Islip graduate who helped lift the Seawolves with two RBIs in Thursday's 8-4 win over Albany, was named the tournament's most outstanding player. "Pat came in an outstanding player," Senk said. "His development has been steady. He's a great young man and a great athlete."
Four runs was all the support Brown needed as he struck out four and scattered seven hits in 82/3 innings.
Hempstead's William Carmona then induced a flyout for the save. Carmona, who had four RBIs in Thursday's win, was named the America East Rookie of the Year. "He does a lot for us,'' Senk said, "and he gave Pat a run for the tournament most outstanding player award."
This will be the Seawolves' third trip to the NCAA Tournament in seven years.
The NCAA Tournament draw selection will be held at 12:30 p.m. Monday.
