Boca Raton, Fla. - Junior right-hander Nick Tropeano (West Islip, N.Y) struck out eight in 6.0 shutout innings and senior Stephen Marino (Lake Grove, N.Y.) went 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Stony Brook University baseball team to a 5-0 season-opening victory over the Florida Atlantic Owls on Friday night at FAU Stadium.
Tropeano (1-0) allowed just three hits and a walk in his 6.0 innings as he shut down a Florida Atlantic squad that was averaging nearly eight runs per game over its first five contests and defeated No. 20 Miami, 7-4, earlier in the week. Making his first collegiate appearance, freshman Brandon McNitt (Chino Hills, Calif.) hurled 3.0 shutout innings to earn the save.
Stony Brook jumped on top with two runs in the second as sophomore William Carmona (Hempstead, N.Y.) doubled to lead off and then came around to score on a one-out single from sophomore Tanner Nivins (Kitchener, Ontario). Nivins eventually came around to score on a two-out single from freshman Joshua Mason (Woodland Hills, Calif.).
Tropeano, meanwhile, dominated from the start, striking out five over the first 2.0 innings. The Seawolves added a run in the fifth as junior Pat Cantwell (West Islip, N.Y.) was hit by the pitch with one out, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from senior Chad Marshall (Paris, Ontario) before coming home on a run-scoring single from Marino.
The Seawolves added two insurance runs in the seventh on a two-run home run from Marino. McNitt took over for Tropeano to start the seventh, and allowed just three hits over the final 3.0 innings to secure the Stony Brook victory.
Carmona added three hits for the Seawolves, who pounded out 12 hits. R.J. Alvarez took the loss for the Owls, allowing three runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings.
The teams will continue the three-game set on Saturday at FAU Stadium. Game time is set for 4:30 p.m.
