Box Score BROOKLYN – After losing a one run lead in the bottom of the ninth, the Sacred Heart baseball team came through with eight runs in the top of the tenth for a 12-7 series clinching victory at LIU Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon. Following a game one loss on Friday, SHU won the final three games to win its second consecutive Northeast Conference series to begin conference play. The Pioneers have now won six of their past seven, ending their nine game road trip 6-3, to move up to 12-19-1, and lead the NEC with a 6-2 conference mark. LIU is now 12-23, including 5-7 in the league.
Just as they had in the previous three games of the series, Sacred Heart outhit LIU Brooklyn 12-8 on the afternoon, led by Jayson Sullivan's 4-5 performance, which included three RBI's. Jesus Medina was the only other Pioneer with multiple hits, going 2-6 with two RBI's and a run scored. Keith Klebart and Jake Friar also added two RBI's, with Friar producing the eventual game winning double in the eight run tenth after he had come on to catch in the seventh. Anthony Capozziello and Dan Schock each scored twice, while it was Schock's bases loaded walk that initially put the Pioneers ahead 5-4 in the tenth.
One inning aside, freshman Matt Cooney nearly went seven innings unblemished, allowing just three runs on a sixth inning homer in seven innings of work. He gave up just four hits and walked two. James Cooksey was credited with his second win of the weekend after pitching .1 innings, battling for the final out of ninth inning after allowing the game tying single on the first hitter he faced.
In an inning that sent 13 batters to the plate, it was Sullivan that began the offensive explosion with his fourth hit of the day, a single down the left field line. Zack Short then singled as well to advance Sullivan to third, which forced the Blackbirds to make the decision to intentionally walk Victor Sorrento. The move paid off for the first batter, as LIU was able to induce a fielder's choice groundout, with Sullivan out at home on the play. But it was Schock that then stepped in and worked his go ahead base on balls to give SHU the 5-4 lead.
This caused LIU Brooklyn to call upon N. Freijomil out of the bullpen. The first batter he faced was Klebart, who earned his second RBI when Sorrento beat out a throw to the plate. With the bases loaded, Friar delivered the eventual game winning two RBI double down the left field line to double the advantage to 8-4. Medina and Sullivan added to the lead with base hits, a two RBI single and RBI double respectively, before Sorrento put a close to the scoring with his sacrifice fly to right field.
LIU scored three runs on a M. Rios home run in the bottom half, but was never able to game tying run on deck as
Alex Perry got the final out of the game on a strikeout.
B. Webb was the lone Blackbird with multiple base hits, going 2-4 with a three run home run and two runs scored. M. Rios also added the tenth inning homer, while T. Jakubowski scored twice. Starter E. Flood went the first 4.1 innings, giving up three runs on three hits before D. Carlson and V. Tranchin combined for 4.4 innings of one run relief. C. Hart picked up the loss after getting just the one out against four runs in the tenth.
Before each team had a three run inning each, both pitchers were in control early, as a combined three runners reached scoring position through the first four innings only to eventually be stranded. SHU's best opportunity came in its first at bat with Short reaching second on a fielder's choice and throwing error. LIU had back-to-back opportunities in both the second and third. B. Webb led off the second with a single and then stole second with one out. After a strikeout, he moved up to third on a passed ball before a walk gave runners on first and third with two outs. In the third, L. Rios kept the frame alive with a two out single before being awarded second on a balk.
The Sacred Heart offense finally came alive in the fifth. It was a Anthony Capozziello base on balls that sparked the rally, as Schock followed that with a double to left field to put runners on second and third with none out. Klebart did his job with a RBI groundout, but also reached when the Blackbirds tried to throw out a runner. With runners now on the corners, Cody Doyle doubled the lead with a single to left. Despite a pick off attempt leading to the first out, Ted Shaw kept things going with one of his three walks, forcing Brooklyn to call upon their bullpen for the first. D. Carlson came on to get the second out, but could not get the third as Sullivan singled home the third run of the inning for the 3-0 lead.
Cooney's lone bad stretch came in the bottom half of the sixth. He retired the first hitter on a strikeout before issuing a walk. A bunt single then put runners on first and second for Webb, who with one swing of the bat tied the contest with a home run over the left field fence. That would be the last hit Cooney would give up, as he sat down the last five he faced.
Behind consecutive one out walks, SHU immediately responded to LIU tying the game in its next at bat. Shaw followed a Doyle walk with a base on balls of his own, leading to Brooklyn to got to the bullpen once again. Medina welcomed Tranchina to the game with a single to load the bases with just one out. Sullivan put the Pioneers back on top with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Kenny Byram who had come on to pinch run for Doyle.
After Cooney's 1-2-3 seventh, Sacred Heart had an opportunity to add insurance when Short was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Sorrento sacrificed him over before a Capozziello single advanced him to third. Tranchina escaped the jam unscathed though, retiring the next two to keep the Blackbirds within one.
That proved to be big in the ninth, as LIU Brooklyn used a two out rally to force extra innings. Previously in the eighth, Dan Wertz had relieved Cooney and escaped a jam of his own when a lead off single resulted in a runner on third with two outs after a sacrifice and groundout. Wertz was able to induce an inning ending groundout though to momentarily maintain the lead. Looking to pick up his second save of the weekend, he was cruising in the ninth after he retired the first two hitters. A two out pinch-hit walk by J. Knauth extended the inning before J. Serrano singled to put two runners on. This forced SHU to bring on James Cooksey for the final out, but instead A. Capo delivered the game tying single to send the game to extra innings.
The Pioneers will return to Harbor Yard for the first time in over two weeks on Wednesday when cross-town rival Fairfield visits for a 3:30 pm first pitch.
