Baltimore, Md. - Stony Brook University's baseball team scored nine runs in the sixth inning on its way to a 11-0 win over UMBC in the second game of an America East doubleheader on Friday at Baseball Factory Field. SBU used a six-run fourth to defeat the Retrievers, 6-3, in game one.
Freshman Kevin Courtney (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) drove in five runs in the doubleheader while sophomore William Carmona (Hempstead, N.Y.) had four hits and three RBI in the twinbill. With the doubleheader sweep, Stony Brook (25-9, 8-1 AE) matches its best conference start since 2003 and its best overall start since 2000.
Junior right-hander Tyler Johnson (Chatsworth, Calif.) allowed five hits in 6.0 shutout innings to earn the win in game two. Freshman Josh Barry (Levittown, N.Y.) also tossed 2.0 scoreless innings for the Seawolves.
In the first game, junior Nick Tropeano (West Islip, N.Y.) struck out 10 in 6.0 innings to pick up the win. Tropeano has struck out 10 or more batters five times this season.
The Seawolves grabbed the early lead in game two on a RBI triple from sophomore Travis Jankowski (Lancaster, Pa.) in the fourth. Jankowski reached base in six of hits eight plate appearances on Friday.
SBU then put the game away with the nine-run sixth. The Seawolves had nine hits in the inning and sent 14 men to the plate. Courtney, Carmona and freshman Joshua Mason (Woodland Hills, Calif.) each drove in two runs in the frame.
UMBC jumped to an early lead in game one, scoring an unearned run in the third without the benefit of a hit. Rob McCabe walked with one out, stole second and moved to third on a Stony Brook error before coming home on a Rich Conlon fielder's choice.
But the Seawolves answered with the six runs in the fourth, all unearned and with two outs. The Seawolves loaded the bases with two away for Courtney, who drilled a double down the right field line to clear the bases.
Junior Pat Cantwell (West Islip, N.Y.) drove Courtney in with an RBI single and then scored on an RBI double from senior Chad Marshall (West Islip, N.Y.). Carmona knocked in the final run of the inning with a run-scoring double.
The Retrievers loaded the bases with one out in the fifth and then scored on a Stony Brook error. Rick Phillips followed with a run-scoring single to make it 6-3. But Tropeano struck out Brian Klukowicz and Bryan Perlmutter swinging to get out of the jam.
Sophomore James Campbell (Bridgeport, Conn.) relieved Tropeano to start the seventh and allowed a lead off single to Conlon. But he retired the next three batters in order to record his second save of the week.
The teams will wrap up the three-game set on Saturday. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.
