March 28, 2006

Final Stats

BRIDGEPORT, CT - Rob Tencza (Meriden, CT) and Josh Enos (Paulsboro, NJ) had three hits apiece to pace a 15-hit Sacred Heart University offensive attack, and junior hurler Chris Howard (Ghent, NY) tossed a complete game four-hitter to lead the Pioneers to a 6-1 win over the University of Massachusetts in a non-conference baseball game Tuesday.

The Pioneers knocked out UMass starter Aaron Smith (Westfield, MA) in the second inning, scoring four times. After retiring the first batter on one pitch, Smith gave up a triple to center to senior third baseman Tim Lantz (New Rochelle, NY) and then walked Tony Diaz (Middletown, NY). SHU catcher Jamie Morales (Mt. Vernon, NY) singled to left to plate Lantz and Diaz was thrown out at third trying to advance when the throw back to the infield got away.

A two-out error by the Minuteman third baseman allowed Dave Kaloyanides (Reading, MA) to reach and put runners on first and third. Tencza then ripped a triple over the centerfielder's head to score two unearned runs. Junior Bobby McKee (Massapequa, NY) singled to right to score the fourth Pioneer run of the inning. Enos ripped a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third and single the end of the day for Smith.

Freshman Ryan Walczak (Taunton, MA) came out of the bullpen for the Minutemen and hit Jeff Hanson (Woodstock, NY) to load the bases. He caught Jason Maiella (N. Haledon, NJ) with a called third strike to end the inning.

UMass got a run back in the top of the third on an RBI groundout to third by Ryan Franczek that scored Jim MacDonald, who had led off the inning by drawing a walk.

After Howard got the first two UMass hitters in the fourth easily, he walked Bryan Gerrity and yielded a single to Joe Cotone. Howard then hit MacDonald with an inside fastball to load the bases. Howard wiggled out of the jam when Charlie Kelly hit a week grounder up the middle that was field by SHU shortstop Tencza for the unassisted out.

Sacred Heart made it 6-1 in the fourth inning when Tencza led off the frame with a double and went to third on a single by McKee. Enos drove home Tencza with a single and Maiella sent McKee home with a sacrifice fly.

The Minutemen had another chance to dent Howard in the sixth when Bryan Adamski and Garrity singled with one out to put runners on the corners. Howard got Cotone to ground into a double play to third to end the threat.

Howard struck out six in the game and walked two to move to 2-3 on the season.