OMAHA, Neb. — Even Cinderella got to dance a little.
Stony Brook’s sensational run is only one loss from ending after the team from Long Island gave up five first-inning runs and dropped the College World Series opener 9-1 to top-seeded UCLA yesterday at TD Ameritrade Park.
The Seawolves (52-14), only the second No. 4 seed to reach the College World Series, will attempt to extend their season tomorrow against the loser of last night’s game between Florida State and Arizona.
“Even if they haven’t scored as much as they did early, you go up against a team like that, you’re only going to get a couple of chances to score,” Stony Brook coach Matt Senk said. “We were never able to gather any momentum at all.”
AP
HOME LATE: Stony Brook’s Kevin Courtney is called out after a close tag play by UCLA catcher Tyler Heineman in the fifth inning of the underdog Seawolves’ 9-1 loss in the College World Series last night in Omaha, Neb.
UCLA (48-14) looked supremely comfortable as its first five batters reached base against Stony Brook ace Tyler Johnson. Right fielder Jeff Gelalich produced all the runs needed with a two-run, bases-loaded single and Johnson allowed five hits and a walk in a 40-pitch first inning.
With pockets of red spread all throughout the 23,000 fans in attendance, Stony Brook was rarely able to involve a crowd begging to get behind the team in its first College World Series appearance.
“Another key thing is I think we took the crowd out of the game a little bit,” UCLA coach John Savage said. “Whenever you put up five and they get zero, I think it calms things down a little bit because that crowd was ready to go.”
Facing UCLA sophomore Adam Plutko, the Seawolves looked ready to bounce back after loading the bases with one out in the second inning. But the right-hander struck out Kevin Courtney and forced Sal Intagliata to pop up with Stony Brook’s best hitter, Travis Jankowski, on deck.
“[Plutko] pounded the strike zone and threw fastballs for the most part,” said Jankowski, who went 0-for-4. “He tried to get us to chase, and that was his main pitch — fastball up in the zone — and we chased it. It was there all day.”
Plutko pitched seven innings, striking out seven. Johnson, a senior, threw a season-low 2 1/3 innings, tying a season-high with four walks, while allowing five hits.
Junior Jasvir Rakkar came on in relief, but didn’t provide much of it. The right-hander’s second pitch was drilled by Kevin Williams deep into center field for a two-run double, saddling Johnson with a season-high seven runs.
Stony Brook’s poor pitching wasn’t given much help, as only an occasional ping could be heard from the Seawolves’ silent bats.
Entering the game with a .335 batting average, second-highest in the nation, the Seawolves mustered just five hits, with catcher Pat Cantwell producing their only run on a home run in the third inning, his second of the season.
“We had some chances with people in scoring position with less than two outs, and we didn’t take advantage of that,” Senk said. “We have been taking advantage of that throughout the year. If we could have plated some people, perhaps [it would have] shifted the momentum in our direction somewhat.”
The Seawolves briefly appeared to carry a slingshot in their back pocket in the fifth inning, when Courtney led off with a walk and Intagliata double. However, on the next pitch, Jankowski grounded out to first, leading Trevor Brown to throw home. Although Courtney was under the tag, the first baseman was called out, leading to a chorus of boos as Senk came out for a futile argument.
The call wasn’t going to change, and if the Seawolves’ amazing ride is going to continue, something will have to.
howard.kussoy@nypost.com
Seawolves, Stony Brook, Seawolves, College World Series, Kevin Courtney, UCLA, fifth inning, fifth inning, Travis Jankowski, OMAHA, Neb.
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