NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Having a once 4-0 lead cut to 4-3 in the seventh inning, the Sacred Heart baseball team responded with two runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth to pull away for a 9-3 win at Yale on Wednesday afternoon.  It is the third straight win for the Pioneers, who are now 9-18-1 on the year.  The loss drops Yale to 10-19.

SHU recorded a season high in hits on the afternoon, holding a 15-10 advantage over the Bulldogs. Jesus Medina led the offensive outburst with a 4-5, one RBI, one run performance, while Jake Friar went 3-5 with a RBI. Jayson Sullivan and Zack Short each contributed two hits, with Short and Keaton Flint adding two RBI's a piece.

Connor Landers started on the hill for the Pioneers, allowing just one run on two hits in the first 2.2 innings before giving way to James Taubl, who relieved him with 2.1 scoreless innings to earn his first career collegiate win. 

Sacred Heart responded to Yale's comeback in its next at bat in the top of the eighth. Ted Shaw's lead off bunt single started it all, as PJ DeFIlippo moved him over to second on a sacrifice bunt. The Bulldogs were able to get the second out, but Keaton Flint came through with a two out RBI single to center field to put the Pioneers back up by two. He then generated another run by stealing second before eventually coming in on a Medina single to push the SHU lead back to 6-3.

After Ethan Lonardelli pitched a scoreless bottom half, the Pioneers used the momentum from the eighth to put the game away in the ninth.  After Sullivan led off with a single and Short walked, Sacred Heart was the beneficiary of a Yale error, which scored both Sullivan and Short. Friar then put an ending to the Pioneer scoring with a RBI groundout, which brought home Keith Klebart, who had reached third on the error.

Yale threatened in the ninth, as two straight singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs, but Breton LaRose came on for the final three outs, limiting the damage to just a one out sacrifice fly.

Yale was led by Robert Baldwin, who went 2-4 with two RBI's and a run, as well as Mikey Sliepka, who also went 2-4 and added a RBI. Starter Drew Scott was tabbed with the loss after ging up eleven hits over 6.1 innings, which led to four earned runs all in the first two innings.

The Pioneers jumped out to an early lead right away, with Medina leading the game off with a single and Anthony Capozziello reaching on an error. Sullivan sacrificed the two over to second and third for Short, who put Sacred Heart ahead 2-0 with a double to left field. SHU then used the first two batters reaching to put another two on the board in the second. This time it was Dan Schock leading the frame off with a single before advancing to third on Friar's single. Flint executed his RBI opportunity, as his groundout brought home Schock. After the Bulldogs got the second out, Friar reached third thanks to a wild pitch, which allowed him to score on Sullivan's infield single and stretch the lead to 4-0.

Yale got one back in the bottom half of the second. Sliepka's single to center scored Lubanski, who had doubled with one away. The Bulldogs got within one in seventh, as Alex Perry's control issues put two runners on with one out after a walk and hit by pitch. A single then loaded then loaded the bases. Perry was able to get the second out, but could not get out of the jam unscathed. Baldwin delivered his two RBI's with a single to right field, cutting the deficit to just 4-3.

Sacred Heart will continue its road trip and will look to extend its winning streak on Friday, as it returns to Northeast Conference action on Friday at 3 pm.