Stony Brook Survives Behind Ackerman’s Four-RBI Effort in 5-3 Victory
Dylan Smith
PHOTO GALLERY | HIGHLIGHTS
ELON, N.C. – Shortstop Naiah Ackerman registered four RBIs behind a gutsy effort in the circle by Aubrey Jepson to help fourth-seeded Stony Brook (21-28) survive with a 5-3 victory over No. 6 seed Elon (18-33) in the 2026 CAA Softball Championship at Hunt Softball Park on Wednesday.
Ackerman went 2-for-3 at the dish with a double and provided 80% of the team’s offense. Karri Pritchard drove in the final run, part of a 1-for-2 day at the dish with a walk.
Stony Brook put a three-spot on the board to open the contest, all with two outs in the first inning. After Josie Alfano and Rachael Brown drew walks, Mia Vannelli loaded the bases with a rip through the left side to load the bases. Ackerman laced a 2-2 pitch to the right-center gap and cleared the bases with her double to take a 3-0 lead.
The Phoenix also capitalized on a two-bagger in the top of the second frame. Payton Swart lasered a double to the left-center wall to bring around Chloe Hatzopoulos from first and slashed the deficit to two, 3-1.
Elon put up another crooked number in the third after a one-out walk to Greta Hessenthaler. The junior infielder moved to second on a groundout before Jenna Klein smacked an 0-1 offering up the middle for an RBI single, making it a 3-2 game.
After a scoreless fourth frame, the Phoenix tied the game at three in the fifth. Reili Gardner and Hessenthaler both singled before Mary Moss Wirt drew a walk to load the bases. Klein dribbled a grounder to short and earned the RBI for bringing Gardner across home plate.
Stony Brook’s Ackerman helped break the 3-3 tie in the home half of the fifth. Following an Alfano single to center, Brown dropped down a perfectly placed bunt to put runners on first and second. The Seawolves’ shortstop drove in her fourth run of the game on a looping single into center. Two batters later, with the bases loaded, Karri Pritchard rocketed a single to third and brought Brown around to score for the second time to take a 5-3 edge.
Jepson picked up her fifth win of the season with a complete-game effort, striking out two in her seven innings of work. The freshman took a comeback liner off the leg and still made the catch in the sixth inning before watching her middle infielders turn a double play to end the game.
The Seawolves will return to Hunt Softball Park on Thursday, May 7, for a 5 p.m. showdown against the lower seed of tomorrow’s two losing teams from the noon and 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 6
Game 1: No. 5 Charleston 5, No. 4 Stony Brook 1
Game 2: No. 3 Campbell 4, No. 6 Elon 3
Game 3: No. 4 Stony Brook 5, No. 6 Elon 3
Thursday, May 7
Game 4: No. 1 Hofstra vs. No. 5 Charleston - 12 p.m.
Game 5: No. 2 UNCW vs. No. 3 Campbell - 2:30 p.m.
Game 6: No. 4 Stony Brook vs. Lower Seed of Games 4 & 5 Losers - 5 p.m.
Friday, May 8
Game 7: Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 - 12 p.m.
Game 8: Winner of Game 6 vs. Higher Seed Games 4 & 5 Losers - 2:30 p.m.
Game 9: Winner of Game 8 vs. Loser of Game 7 - 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 9
Game 10: Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 9 - 12 p.m.
Game 11: If Necessary - 2:30 p.m.
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