Stony Brook, N.Y. - Top-seeded Stony Brook was eliminated from the 2011 America East Baseball Championships on Friday afternoon, falling to No. 4 Albany, 4-1, in an elimination game at Joe Nathan Field. With the loss, Stony Brook drops to 42-12 on the season.
Freshman Brandon McNitt (Chino Hills, Calif.) allowed just one hit over the first 6.0 innings but the Great Danes struck for four runs in the seventh. Junior Pat Cantwell (West Islip, N.Y.) led the Seawolves with two hits and an RBI.
Stony Brook scored the first run of the game in the fifth as junior Sal Intagliata (Franklin Square, N.Y.) led off with a double and then moved to third on a groundout to short from freshman Joshua Mason (Woodland Hills, Calif.).
Cantwell then lifted a fly ball to right and Intagliata just beat the throw of Albany rightfielder Josh Nethaway to give SBU a 1-0 lead.
But Albany answered back in the seventh. Mike Tirri led off with an infield single and then moved to second a sacrifice bunt from Nethaway.
McNitt walked Vincent Martorelli and D.J. Hoagboon then hit a two-run double to left to put Albany on top, 2-1. Sophomore James Campbell (Bridgeport, Conn.) relieved McNitt but Nolan Gaige and Kyle Crean followed with run-scoring singles to give Albany a three-run lead.
Stony Brook put runners on first and second with no out in the ninth but Kasceim Graham struck out sophomore Travis Jankowski (Lancaster, Pa.) for the first out and then retired Intagliata on a line out to left.
He then got junior Keith Murakami (Monterey Park, Calif.) to ground out to first to end the game. Graham tossed a six-hitter, striking out seven.
