Stony Brook softball earns first NCAA bid

BY MARCUS HENRY | marcus.henry@newsday.com

May 13, 2008

Stony Brook sophomore righthander Alyssa Struzenberg was named the America East Tournament most outstanding player. (Stony Brook University / May 13, 2008)

From also-rans to America East champions: Stony Brook softball has arrived.

The third-seeded Seawolves, a young, experienced group, topped Albany, 4-0, on Saturday to win its first conference championship and earn its first NCAA bid.

Stony Brook will take on Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz., at 7 p.m. Friday.

Marissa Fleury, who homered against Albany, said of the accomplishment, "It started to sink in right now during the selection show," Fleury said while watching the show on Sunday night. "We were joking to ourselves 'did we really win?'"

The ride for Stony Brook was long and arduous as it started the season 3-7. But there was no panic among the Seawolves. "We started really slow in the beginning," Fleury said. "But there wasn't a person on this team who thought we were out of it. And that confidence paid off in the end."

Stony Brook's ascent was a culmination of things, according to coach Megan Bryant: youth, experience and determination. The Seawolves have just two seniors on their roster. But that youth didn't do anything to prevent Stony Brook's climb to respectability.

"We have a fairly young squad," Bryant said. "But there is a lot of experience with our youth. A lot of the juniors and sophomores have started since their freshman year."

Sophomore righthander Alyssa Struzenberg, who was named the America East Tournament most outstanding player, said the season was all about the seniors.

"We're so happy for the seniors," said Struzenberg, who tossed two shutouts during the three-day tournament. "We basically dedicated this season to them."

Struzenberg struck out five in a four-hit shutout Saturday.

As for their first-round opponent, the Seawolves (33-21-1) have no qualms about leaving the region. In fact, they were hoping to travel.

"We were happy to get off the East Coast," Fleury said. "We didn't want to go to Hofstra."

Bryant, while acknowledging her team's underdog status against the Sun Devils, is convinced the Seawolves have a shot at an upset. "People are going to look at us as the underdogs against Arizona State," Bryant said. "But the team is ready to go and no one should underestimate us."