Staten Island, NY – Senior John Murphy's first inning two-run home run into the Hudson River set the tone as the Pioneers sunk the Seahawks of Wagner, 8-1, in Staten Island on Friday afternoon to open conference play. Senior Troy Scribner (Washington Depot, CT) pitched well for the Pioneers to secure his first victory of the season. Scribner pitched seven innings, only allowing one run on six hits.

John Murphy (Seymour, CT) didn't take long to strike first for the Pioneers, crushing a Casey fastball over the right field wall for his second home run of the season to give the Pioneers a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Sacred Heart would not look back from there.

Dave Boisture (Highland Mills, NY) extended the Pioneers' lead in the second inning with a two out base hit up the middle to score freshman Brian Lamboy (Manalapan, NJ).

Wagner's Chris Smith laced a Scribner pitch to left field with two outs to score junior Ian Miller, cutting into the Pioneers lead in the top of the third inning. It would be the only run that SHU would give up on the afternoon.

Sacred Heart notched another run in the third inning off an error by Wagner second baseman, Chase Gray, allowing freshman Victor Sorrento (Monroe Township, NJ) to score from second base.

With two outs in the sixth Billy McDonough (Ballston Spa, NY) single off the second base bag into center field drove home Keaton Flint (Charlton, NY) and Boisture to make it 6-1 Sacred Heart in the bottom of the sixth.

Sacred Heart kept it rolling in the eighth inning with Dan Perez slicing one to left field driving in Boisture and Derick Horn (Valatie, NY) to make the final score 8-1 Pioneers.

Dan Wertz (Cross River, NY) came in on relief of Scribner, pitching two scoreless innings to close out the Seahawks.  

Sacred Heart and Wagner are right back at it tomorrow afternoon for a doubleheader starting at 1 PM.

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