Albany, N.Y. ? Alyssa Struzenberg fired a four-hit shutout to lead Stony Brook to a 4-0 win over UAlbany in the championship round of the America East Conference Tournament on Saturday, May 10 at Albany Field. The Seawolves, who won their first-ever conference title to secure an automatic NCAA berth, became the fourth team in the last seven years to go undefeated in postseason tournament play.
Struzenberg, the championship's most outstanding player, struck out five and walked three in posting her ninth shutout of the season. She was aided by three double plays that wiped out scoring threats in the first and third innings. Right fielder Ashley Westphal made a catch toward the line and fired to first base to get the force on UAlbany's Michelle Connors in the opening frame. Shortstop Vicki Kavitsky later dove to her right in the hole to rob Andrianna Walraven of a base hit, before doubling off Jessica Bergin with a throw to second base.
Stony Brook (33-21-1) broke through in the second when first baseman Marissa Fleury drilled the second pitch she saw over the center field fence just to right of the 210-foot sign for her seventh home run of the season. In the fourth, Kelsi Fanelli and Fleury both singled with one out. Catcher Jade Clare then blasted a 1-2 pitch, a three-run homer that hit the scoreboard in left field.
“I thought the pitch before (Clare's homer) was on the corner, and so did my catcher,” said UAlbany right-hander Marissa Powell, who fell to 13-10 on the season. “I left the next one over the plate. Give her kudos, she took the pitch given to her and hit it.”
Struzenberg, the America East pitcher of the year, also worked out of her own trouble in the fifth when Leanne Tillman singled up the middle and Kat Smith walked to start the inning. But Struzenberg, who beat UAlbany (34-17) for the second straight day after scattering seven hits in a 7-2 triumph in a winner's bracket game, regrouped by striking out two of the next three batters. The sophomore improved to 24-8 in the circlel, a school record for single-season victories.
“They came into the tournament hitting the ball well,” said UAlbany coach Chris Cannata, whose program had captured the previous three conference championships. “We couldn't get a big hit when we needed one. It's part of the game. This was a good experience for a young team; we will be back.”
Leah McIntosh, who threw a one-hit shutout in Friday's elimination game against UMBC, was one of three UAlbany players voted to the all-championship team. Amber Maisonet, a four-time all-conference outfielder, and third baseman Meagan Butsch were also selected.
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America East Conference Championship
UAlbany (34-17) 000 000 0 - 0 4 0
Stony Brook (33-21-1) 010 300 x - 4 7 1
UAlbany: Marissa Powell (13-10) and Kat Smith.
Stony Brook: Alyssa Struzenberg (24-8) and Jade Clare.
HR: SB - Marissa Fleury (7), Jade Clare (3).
2008 America East Conference Softball Championship
Albany Field ? Albany, N.Y.
Thursday, May 8
Game One: #1 UAlbany 4, #4 UMBC 0
Game Two: #3 Stony Brook 3, #2 Boston U. 0
Friday, May 9
Game Three: Stony Brook 7, UAlbany 2
Game Four: UMBC 5, Boston U. 3
Game Five: UAlbany 4, UMBC 0
Saturday, May 10
Game Six: Stony Brook 4, UAlbany 0
Stony Brook 4, UAlbany 0 (May 10, 2008)
Box Score
2008 UAlbany Softball
Albany at Stony Brook
May 10, 2008 at Albany, N.Y. (Albany Field)
Albany 0 (34-17)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Maisonet, Amber lf....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0
Walraven, Andrianna ss... 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 3
Connors, Michelle 2b..... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Butsch, Meagan 3b........ 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
Mason, Gina dh........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Kothe, Nicole cf......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 1
Tillman, Leanne 1b....... 3 0 1 0 0 0 7 0 0
Dalton, Tara pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Smith, Kat c............. 1 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 0
Van Deest, Bailey ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Bergin, Jessica rf....... 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
Powell, Marissa p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Totals................... 23 0 4 0 3 5 18 4 5
Stony Brook 4 (33-21-1)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Westphal rf.............. 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Kavitsky ss.............. 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 0
Fanelli cf............... 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Fleury 1b................ 3 2 2 1 0 1 7 0 0
Clare c.................. 3 1 1 3 0 0 6 0 0
Kestranek 2b............. 3 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 0
Jacobs dh................ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Oberto 3b................ 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
C. Cerrone lf............ 2 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0
Struzenberg p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Totals................... 24 4 7 4 0 3 21 6 3
Score by Innings R H E
-----------------------------------------
Albany.............. 000 000 0 - 0 4 0
Stony Brook......... 010 300 X - 4 7 1
-----------------------------------------
E - Kavitsky. DP - SBU 3. LOB - ALBANY 5; SBU 3. HR - Fleury; Clare. HBP -
Kavitsky. SB - Butsch, M..
Albany IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Powell, Marissa..... 6.0 7 4 4 0 3 24 25
Stony Brook IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Struzenberg......... 7.0 4 0 0 3 5 23 26
Win - Struzenberg (24-8). Loss - Powell, M. (13-10). Save - None.
HBP - by Powell, M. (Kavitsky).
Umpires - HP: Rick Howard 1B: Mike Eggleston 3B: Mike LaRose
Start: 12:00 pm Time: 1:35 Attendance:
Game: GAME51
