ETHAN TAM/THE STATESMAN
Graduate pitcher Melissa Rahrich is not one to be outdone.
Rahrich tossed the Stony Brook softball team’s second straight one-hit shutout in a 2-0 home victory over the St. John’s Red Storm on April 20, following senior Dawn Bodrug’s one-hit shutout last Wednesday. “That was one of Mel’s best games of the year,” head coach Megan T. Bryant said in a press release. “She had really good command. She was mixing her pitches well and had great composure out there in the circle.”
Rahrich was dominant from the start, needing only four pitches to retire the first three batters on groundouts. She was nearly perfect the rest of the way, allowing a second-inning triple and hitting shortstop Kaitlyn Lologo with a pitch in the fourth for her only other baserunner of the game. She produced six strikeouts, needing just three pitches on four of them.
SARA RUBERG/THE STATESMAN
With a three-game sweep of the Hartford Hawks this weekend, Stony Brook’s softball team improved to 5-0 in America East play its best start since 2012. Three graduate students pitcher Melissa Rahrich, center fielder Jourdin Hering and catcher Jordyn Nowakowski combined for 14 RBIs and four home runs, while Rahrich and senior Dawn Bodrug allowed only three runs during the series.
Led by three RBIs each from Rahrich and Hering, the Seawolves scored seven runs in the first inning of Saturday’s opener en route to an 8-0 mercy-rule win.
Bodrug tossed her fourth shutout of the year, striking out 11 and allowing one hit over five innings. Though she hit two of the first three batters with pitches, she regrouped and showed the excellent ball control that has characterized her season thus far.
SARA RUBERG/THE STATESMAN
Eventually, Stony Brook Softball’s experienced roster will regain its consistency. But in the meantime, they have been following no-hitters and tournament sweeps with questionable losses like their 10-6 extra innings defeat at the Fordham Rams on March 30.
The Seawolves (13-6, 2-0 AE) were held hitless after erasing a four-run deficit in the fourth inning. Senior Dawn Bodrug struck out ten batters in relief of junior Shelbi Denman, but tired in the bottom of the ninth once her pitch count topped out at 136. Outfielder Brianna Pinto took advantage, launching a walk-off grand slam on the first pitch of her at-bat.
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