Box Score RICHMOND – Trailing 6-1 after two innings, the Sacred Heart baseball team came back to tie it in the sixth before taking its first lead of the game on PJ DeFilippo's RBI double in top of the ninth, clinching the series with an 8-7 win at Atlantic 10 Richmond on Sunday afternoon. The SHU bullpen allowed just one run in seven innings as the Pioneers sealed the three game series by winning the last two to up their record to 8-18-1. Richmond is now 18-11.
In relief of starter Matt Cooney, who pitched the first two innings and allowed four earned, Dan Wertz allowed just one run in three innings before both Connor Landers and James Cooksey provided two scoreless innings. Cooksey picked his team leading third win of the season, as he gave up just one hit and two walks while striking out two. Offensively, Zack Short was one of four SHU hitters with multiple hits on the day, as he went 3-5 with two RBI's and two runs scored. DeFilippo, Jayson Sullivan, and Victor Sorrento each also had two hits and a RBI, with DeFilippo also scoring two runs.
It was Ted Shaw who started the ninth inning off with a base hit. Alex Perry sacrificed him over to second, setting up the opportunity for DeFilippo, who roped his double to left center. Cooksey did allow a two out single in the bottom half, but he ended the game in the next at bat, inducing a pop up to secure the Sacred Heart win.
Jansen Fraser led the Spiders at the plate, as the right fielder went 2-4 with two RBI's and a run scored. Matt Dacey scored two runs, going 1-2 with three walks. After starter Dylan Stoops gave up four earned runs in the five innings, Ray Harron was tabbed with the loss after pitching the final two frames.
Richmond jumped out to a very early five run lead, scoring three runs in its first two at bats. Cooney was able to retire the first two batters he faced, but consecutive walks gave Tanner Stanley a two out RBI situation, and he came through with a single to left center to plate the first run of the game. Fraser then delivered a two RBI triple to right center, scoring two more for the 3-0 first inning lead.
After SHU got on the board with a RBI groundout from Cody Doyle, which scored Short who had led off the inning with a single, the Spiders came right back and added three more runs to the lead, two of which were unearned. This time the first two Spider hitters reached base, and were successfully sacrificed over to second and third. A RBI groundout scored the first run, before an errant pickoff attempt allowed the second to cross. Matt Dacey then homered over the right field fence to extend the advantage to 6-1
The Pioneers first cut into the deficit in the next half inning, taking advantage of two errors to plate two runs. Sullivan brought in the first with his single before Sorrento's RBI groundout plated the second, making the score 6-3. Again Richmond responded with its only run against the SHU bullpen, as Aaron Newman's two out single scored Fraser, who had doubled with one out.
Trailing 7-3, Sacred Heart again cut into the Richmond lead in the fifth inning. DeFilippo and Sullivan both singled with one out before coming into score on Short's double. Sorrento then doubled, which allowed Keith Klebart's groundout to score Short, and bring SHU within one, 7-6. The comeback was complete in the sixth, as Dan Schock doubled to begin the frame. The Pioneers then executed back-to-back situational hitting opportunities, with Shaw sacrificing him over to third before Perry sacrificed him in with a flyout to right.
Sacred Heart will continue its nine game road trip at Yale on Wednesday, with the first pitch scheduled for 3:30 pm.
