Box Score BRIDGEPORT, Conn – The Fairfield Stags pounded out 14 hits and scored five runs in the fifth inning on their way to an 8-2 win over Sacred Heart Wednesday afternoon at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard. The Pioneers have now lost four consecutive games and fall to 18-16 on the season.
Freshman John Sostarich (Huntington, NY) earned the loss in his second consecutive mid-week start, giving up three runs, one earned, in three innings of action. Nick Leiningen (Millwood, NY) pitched two innings of scoreless ball out of the bullpen, while Dan Wertz (Cross River, NY) and Jesus Medina (New York, NY) each pitched a scoreless frame.
Fairfield jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Sebastian Salvo knocked a RBI single to left field to score Ryan Plourde. Plourde singled to left field with two outs to start the rally.
The Pioneers answered right back in the bottom of the inning as Jayson Sullivan (Charlton, NY) laid down a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt to score Medina from third. Medina doubled to left field, before moving over to third on a Zack Short (Hurley, NY) base hit to center field.
The Stags started to grab the momentum in the third inning as Plourde led off the inning with a walk. After stealing second, he ended up on third following a Jake Salpietro base knock through the left side. FU then tacked on its second run of the game on a throwing error by SHU catcher Derick Horn (Valatie, NY) which allowed Plourde to score. The Stags then took a 3-1 lead on an RBI ground out by Salvo.
Already playing with a two run lead, Fairfield broke the game wide open in the fifth inning, scoring five more runs. Six consecutive hits by the stags, capped off by a three-run blast over the right field wall by pinch hitter Brendan Tracy gave Fairfield the 8-1 lead. Dan Hopkins and Salpietro also had RBI hits in the inning.
After six consecutive zeroes put on the board from the SHU offense, the Pioneers finally tacked on another run in the eighth. Senior Conor McEvoy (Watertown, CT) drilled a two-out triple to right center field before scoring on a Matt Charmello (Rossmoor, CA) infield single.
The Pioneers look to halt the losing streak this weekend when the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds come to the Ballpark at Harbor Yard for a four-game series. The five departing seniors will be honored prior to Sunday's contest as part of Senior Day.
