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FORT WORTH, TEXAS – Despite totaling 15 hits, including a 4-5, two RBI day by Cody Doyle, the Sacred Heart baseball team could not overcome a five run Stony Brook first inning, as its season came to an end with a 11-6 loss to the Seawolves in an elimination game at the Fort Worth Regional on Saturday afternoon at Lupton Stadium. The Pioneers end 2015 with a 23-32-1 record, winning their fourth ever Northeast Conference Championship and third in five seasons. Stony Brook moves to 35-15-1 and advances to play the loser of North Carolina State and TCU tomorrow in an elimination game.

The Pioneers never got closer than five after the first, but did make things interesting in the eighth. Trailing 11-3 entering the frame, Sacred Heart loaded the bases with singles by Jayson Sullivan and Jesus Medina and a hit by pitch by Zack Short. Victor Sorrento drove in a run on a sacrifice fly before Matt Charmelllo was hit by yet another pitch to load the bases once more. This brought Cody Doyle to the plate and the freshman came through with his fourth base hit of the afternoon, singling through the left side cut the deficit to 11-5. Keaton Flint plated another with a groundout to second base and advanced runners to second and third for Ted Shaw. Looking to get closer than five for the first time since the first, Shaw roped a liner to the right side right at the second baseman and the score remained 11-6.

Despite the 15 hits, SHU could only scored the six runs because it left 15 runners on base after advancing a runner into scoring position in seven of nine at bats. Sullivan, Medina, Short, Sorrento, and Flint all also had two hits, while Charmello walked twice and was hit by pitch. Medina scored a team-high two runs.

Stony Brook's 11 runs came courtesy of 17 base hits. America East Player of the Year Jack Parenty and Toby Handley had three each and added two runs apiece. Casey Baker had a game high four RBI's, hitting a two run homer in the second to highlight a 2-4 day. Rob Chavarria went 2-5 with two RBI's and a run.

The five first inning runs broke Sacred Heart starter Jason Foley's 18.2 scoreless inning streak. He was able to retire the first batter, but a first pitch swinging double by Handley started a stretch of four straight hits, the second and third both bunts. Chavarria first drag bunted for a base hit to move Handley up to third before Baker laid down a bunt that brought in Handley after he beat the throw from the first baseman. Baker made it 2-0 with a single up the middle before a fielder's choice led to the second out of the frame, also advancing Chavarria to third. This proved important when Stony Brook stole second and the ensuing throw traveled into center field, allowing the third run to cross home. A walk would put runners on first and second and would be the final at bat before a 42 minute rain delay. The delay would not break the Seawolf momentum, as a walk to the first hitter immediately loaded the bases. Nachmanoff capped the big inning with a double down the left field line, scoring two more and putting SBU up five through just one inning of play.

Following a two run homer by Casey Baker in the second that pushed the lead to 7-0, Sacred Heart got on the scoreboard with its first run of the tournament in the third, taking advantage of the first of two straight bases loaded opportunities. This came after advancing runners into scoring position in both the first and second. Short was stranded at second after a two out double in the first, while a double play ended a threat in the second after Flint and Doyle had singled with one out. 

Kenny Byram started it all with what would be the first of five straight base hits, doubling down the right field line on a 0-2 pitch. Sullivan would then record the first Sacred Heart RBI of the tournament, singling in Byram, but would be thrown out at second attempting to advance on the throw. This proved to be costly as the next three batters, Medina, Short and Sorrento, all singled to the load the bases with one away. Charmello did bring home one more run with a sacrifice fly, pulling SHU within five at 7-2, but the Seawolves limited the damage to just that.

Stony Brook cancelled those two runs right away in the bottom half, as a SHU error with the bases loaded led to two unearned runs. In what would be his last complete inning, Honahan got out of his biggest jam of the afternoon in the fourth. Again the Pioneers loaded the bases, this time with zero out, as Flint singled and Shaw and Byram both walked on a combined nine pitches. After a strikeout for the first out, two consecutive fly outs, the first not deep enough to score a run, kept the score at 9-2. 

Stony Brook starter Tyler Honahan could not get an out of the fifth, as three straight base runners reached leading to one run, but teammate Nicholas Dieva came in to relieve him and escaped with no further harm. Sorrento led off with a double and Charmello was then hit by a pitch, allowing Doyle's single to plate his first RBI of the game. Dieva came on to retire the next three though, popping the first hitter up, striking out the next, and inducing an inning ending ground out to preserve the 9-3 lead. 

SBU executed a hit and run in the fifth for the tenth run of the game, with Chavarria singling through the right side as the second baseman covered for the steal. Their final run came in the sixth on a Bobby Honeyman single after Jeremy Giles had been awarded second on a balk.

Robbie Maguire came on in the fourth and held Stony Brook scoreless in two innings, going four and allowing two earned on six hits. John Sostarich produced the other scoreless inning, holding the Seawolves scoreless. Dan Wertz relieved Foley and threw the second and third, scattering six hits that led to four runs, two of which were earned.

It was Dieva who earned the win, his third of the eyar, after coming on for Honahan. He lasted 3.1 innings, giving up three earned runs on three hits and two walks. Nick Brass and Cole Creigton combined to hold the Pioneers scoreless over the final 1.2 innings.