BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Despite taking an early 2-0 lead, the Sacred Heart baseball team could not hold off Fairleigh Dickinson, who came back to win 7-3 in a seven inning game on Friday afternoon at Harbor Yard. Two runs in each the fifth and sixth inning helped the Knights take the lead and pull away for their first win of the series. The loss puts an end to the Pioneers five game unbeaten streak and drops them to 5-15-1 overall and 2-1 in Northeast Conference play. FDU is now 7-11 and 1-2 in league action.

No Pioneer had more than one hit on the day, but Jake Friar did go 1-2 with two runs, and Alex Perry and P.J. DeFilippo each reached base twice. James Taubl threw a scoreless seventh inning.

The Knights were led by a 3-4, four RBI day from McClure, whose two run home run in the fifth inning proved to be the game winner. McCann and Siebler each added two runs. McGrath earned the win with five innings of three run ball, while Snyder came on for a perfect final two innings.

Tied at three going into the top of the fifth, Ethan Lonardelli replaced Jesus Medina on the hill. Medina finished the day working four innings of three run ball. Lonaradelli retired the first Knight he faced, but Brennan singled to bring McCLure to the plate. The catcher sent a 0-2 pitch over the left field fence just inside the foul pole to give FDU the lead for good. 

Fairleigh Dickinson added two insurance runs in the sixth after Dan Wertz came on for Lonardelli. Wertz also got the first out, but a one out bunt single by Siebler sparked the rally. After Siebler stole second, McCann beat out an infield single. During the next at bat, an error committed during a run down allowed Siebler to score. The Pioneers looked to have had McCann picked off, but he was able to get back to first safely. All the while, Sprague was waiting in the box, and when he got the chance to hit, he roped a liner into center field. Jayson Sullivan laid out and appeared to have made the catch, but the umpire rule him to have trapped it. McCann advanced to third on the play, and eventually scored on a RBI groundout the next at bat, pushing the FDU lead to 7-3.

The Knights outhit Sacred Heart 11-5 in the game. Both teams left seven runners on base. Coming off four errors in game two of the series, FDU had a clean day in the field, while the Pioneers committed two.

Sacred Heart scored one run in both the first and second inning to jump out to the early lead. Perry led off the first with a walk only to have the next two batters get out. Victor Sorrento kept the inning alive with a bunt single, and Zack Short loaded the bases by working a seven-pitch walk. Ted Shaw then gave SHU the early lead with his infield single. The second inning run was a product of Friar's leadoff triple down the right field line. Kenny Byram drove him in the next at bat as his RBI groundout gave the Pioneers a 2-0 cushion. 

FDU quickly came back to tie it in the next half inning. Siebler got it started with a single, which led to McCann attempting to sacrifice him over. McCann beat out the bunt though, setting up another sacrifice situation. Spargue executed, putting runners on second and third with one out. Medina looked to get out of the jam by getting the next hitter to ground out, but MClure delivered his first of two big hits on the day, singling to left field with two outs to even the score.

Both teams plated one run in the fourth to tie the game at three heading to the fifth. A leadoff walk allowed the Knights to sacrifice the runner over for the second consecutive inning. Romano then came through with a single up the middle to give Fairleigh Dickinson its first lead of the afternoon, 3-2. SHU came right back as McGrath ran into control issues. Friar worked a one out walk, and after a pop up, Perry beat out an infield single. DeFilippo then worked a full count walk himself to load the bases for Sullivan. Sullivan tied the game with the third McGrath issued base on balls of the frame. 

The two teams will complete their four game series tomorrow at Harbor Yard. First pitch has been rescheduled from 3 pm to 12 pm.