The Stony Brook softball team already had the most feared rotation in the America East. Now, they might have the most feared batting lineup as well.
In their first home series since 2019, the Seawolves (11-5) shut out the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights and invoked the eight-run mercy rule in both games on March 25. They had not earned consecutive shutouts since March 2019.
Graduate pitcher Melissa Rahrich solidified her spot as an early frontrunner for her third America East Player of the Year award with a three RBI day. She now leads the conference in hits (20) and RBIs (14).
“We’re playing well,” head coach Megan T. Bryant said in a press release. “I think we’re in a good spot heading into [America East] play.”
After totaling 10 runs in a four-game trip to Boston last weekend, the Seawolves scored nine runs in four innings in Wednesday’s first game. Usually led by their fifth-year stars, Stony Brook’s youth instead led the way to a 9-0 victory. Freshman second baseman Kyra McFarland hit 3-for-4 with two runs, and junior first baseman Lindsey Osmer had a career-high three RBIs.
Senior pitcher Dawn Bodrug threw her third shutout of the year, allowing one hit and striking out eight of the 16 batters she faced in the five inning game to improve her ERA to 1.40. She walked four, but followed each one with an out.
A four-run first inning, kickstarted by senior shortstop Nicole McCarvill’s RBI walk, set the tone for the rest of the day. Osmer followed up with a powerful 2-RBI single to center field, and graduate catcher Jordyn Nowakowski drove in McCarvill right after. Osmer nearly tacked on another run, but was tagged out at home.
Graduate center fielder Jourdin Hering reached home on an error in the second inning and hit a sacrifice fly in the third that started another scoring rally. Rahrich followed her with a 2-RBI double and Osmer scored McFarland after being hit by a pitch.
Junior pitcher Shelbi Denman threw her first complete game of the season in game two, allowing two hits in six innings to pave the way to an 8-0 win.
“I thought she threw really well,” Bryant said. “She was getting ahead of hitters, was spinning the ball well, and was efficient and using her defense.”
The Seawolves were again dominant in the first inning. With two outs and an 0-2 count, Osmer got her fourth RBI of the day on a single down the middle. Graduate third baseman Riley Craig, who struggled early in the season but found her stride last Sunday against Boston College, followed with a 2-RBI double.
Up 4-0 in the bottom of the sixth, sophomore catcher Corinne Badger started another two-out rally with a dash to home plate on a wild pitch. That error was one of four by Fairleigh Dickinson in the inning, the next of which allowed Hering and sophomore right fielder Shauna Nuss to score. Rahrich ended the game by scoring McFarland with an RBI double to right field.
The Seawolves open conference play this weekend with a two-game series against Binghamton (2-0) at University Field.
Jeremy Portnoy
Jeremy is the editor-in-chief of The Statesman and a third-year English student at Stony Brook University. He previously served as the newspaper’s assistant sports editor for three semesters. Jeremy also covers the New York Giants for SB Nation and has written for five other publications.
