May 13, 2006

Box Score

WILLIAMSBURG, VA - Sophomore Jeff Hanson recorded a homer in his third straight game with a grand slam in the third inning, while starting pitcher Chris Howard allowed just one earned run in eight innings as the Sacred Heart University baseball team avoided a three-game sweep with an 11-8 win over William and Mary Sunday afternoon. Sacred Heart improves to 20-28, while the College falls to 19-28.

The game was scoreless until the third when the Pioneers jumped ahead 5-0, with four of those runs coming on the slam by first baseman Hanson, to take the early lead. The Tribe answered with a pair of runs in its half of the third, as Tyler McCraw reached on a one-out error, followed by a single to left by Jeff Lunardi. Mike Sheridan brought home McCraw for the first Tribe run and moved Lunardi to third when he singled to right to cut the lead to 5-1. Shortstop Greg Sexton followed with a deep fly ball to right center, scoring Lunardi to trim the lead to 5-2.

Sacred Heart added two more in the fifth and one more in the sixth to open up an 8-2 cushion, but the Tribe cut the lead in half with a pair in the sixth. The Pioneers got one back in the eighth as Jason Maiella ripped an opposite field homer to right to extend the lead to 9-4, and it added two more in the ninth to open up an 11-4 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Tribe did not go away quietly, as it scored four times off reliever Mike Milazzo to make things interesting. McWhorter came to the plate representing the tying run, but Milazzo struck him out swinging to end the game.

Howard improved his record to 3-6, as he allowed four runs, one earned, on six hits in eight innings of work. He struck out five and walked a pair. Tribe starter Sean Grieve (Flourtown, PA) fell to 1-7 after giving up seven runs on seven hits in four innings. He struck out three and walked four.

Sacred Heart banged out 16 hits as senior Dave Kaloyanides led the way with a 4-5 day. He scored twice. Hanson drove in all four of his runs with his grand slam. W&M finished with 11 hits as Lunardi, Sheridan and Maliniak all led the way with two apiece.