BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The Sacred Heart baseball team was shutout by Hartford 10-0 on Tuesday afternoon in non-conference action at Harbor Yard. Four Hawk pitchers combined to no hit the Pioneers. After going unbeaten in five straight, SHU has now dropped two of three to bring its record to 6-16-1. Hartford ups its record to 10-16. 

Combining in the no hitter was Ben Brown, Justin Robarge, and Kevin Tise, who each pitched two innings, as well as Jake Regula, who tossed three innings in relief of Brown to pick up the win. No Hartford hitter had more than one hit, but Dalton Ruch was 1-3 with two runs, two walk, and two RBI's, while Ryan Lukach added three RBI's, and TJ ward scored two runs.

Connor Landers provided a solid start for the Pioneers, going four innings while only giving up one hit and one run. Breton LaRose pitched a scoreless ninth inning. Zack Short walked twice. 

Each team had a scoring opportunity in the first three innings. In the bottom of the first, Jayson Sullivan was hit by a pitch and Short worked one of his walks to give SHU runners on first and second with two outs. Brown got out of the situation unscathed with a groundout. Landers finally ran into some trouble in the top of the third. A leadoff bunt single and ensuing sacrifice bunt gave Hartford its first runner in scoring position with one out. Landers then hit the next batter to put a second Hawk on. He got the next hitter to flyout for the second out, but another base on balls loaded the bases. The threat was put to an end as Landers induced a ground ball.

The Hawks first got on the board in the fourth. Lukach led off with a walk and stole second. Nick Campana and Erik Ostberg then executed back-to-back situational hitting situations, as Campana advanced Lukach to third with a groundout to second, and Lukach brought him home with his RBI groundout, also to second. In the bottom half, Short got into scoring position with a one out walk and stolen base, but this rime Regula was able to retire the next two hitters. 

Hartford put the game away in the fifth, scoring four more runs to extend its lead to 5-0. Alex Perry came on to relieve Landers and was able to get the first out, but then ran into some control issues. A hit by pitch and three straight walks gave the Hawks a 2-0 lead before Lukach came through with the big hit, a two RBI single to right field. After James Taubl came one for Perry, Hartford added one more with a safety squeeze. The Hawks scored five more in the eighth, with Ward, Ruch, and Mackinnon all delivering three consecutive RBI base hits. 

Sacred Heart has its Northeast Conference bye weekend this weekend, and will travel to Delaware on Friday and Richmond on Saturday and Sunday. First pitch at Delaware will be 3 pm.