Box Score Bridgeport, CT – The Sacred Heart Pioneers scored four runs in the third inning en route to a 4-2 win over the Niagara Purple Eagles Friday afternoon at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard. With the win, Sacred Heart ties the program record with their 12th consecutive victory and breaks the school record with 32 regular season wins. The Pioneers improve to 32-21 on the season.
Starting pitcher Kody Kerski (Waterbury, CT) improved to 6-2 on the season, pitching six strong innings for Sacred Heart. The right-handed junior allowed just a couple runs on five hits with three strikeouts.
Sophomore Nick Leiningen (Millwood, NY), sophomore Dan Wertz (Cross River, NY), and freshman Jesus Medina (New York, NY) all pitched scoreless innings in relief of Kerski. Medina pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his fourth save of the season.
Niagara took the 1-0 lead in the third inning on a Thomas Rodrigues base hit up the middle, scoring second baseman Mark Meisner.
Freshman Brian Lamboy (Manalapan, NJ) started the rally for Sacred Heart's big third inning with a base hit to right field. Following a Lamboy steal of second base, John Murphy (Seymour, CT) knocked him home with a single up the middle. Murphy is now is just nine hits shy of the all-time Sacred Heart record. Following a Murphy stolen base, sophomore Keaton Flint (Charlton, NY) smacked an RBI single up the middle to make it 2-1 SHU. Freshman Jayson Sullivan (Charlton, NY) earned a two out walk and both him and Flint advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch, setting the scene for freshman Victor Sorrento (Monroe Township, NJ). Sorrento hammered a double down the right field line to score Flint and Sullivan, giving SHU the 4-1 lead.
Niagara scored their other run in the fourth inning, on a Travis Rosenwinkel single to right center to score Joel Klock.
Sacred Heart closes out their regular season on Monday afternoon when they travel to New York City to take on Columbia at noon.
Notes: With the win by Bryant yesterday over Wagner, the Pioneers are now locked into the second seed for next week's Northeast Conference tournament in Lakewood, NJ. SHU is looking for their third straight NEC championship.
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