NACOGDOCHES, Texas – One out away form its first victory of the year, the Sacred Heart baseball team fell victim to Tyler Pinkston's pinch hit, three-run walkoff home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth in a 13-11 loss at Stephen F. Austin on Saturday afternoon. Falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, the SHU offense exploded for seven runs in the third, and led 11-9 after breaking a tie with two runs in the sixth, but the Pioneers could not hold off the Lumberjacks in its second straight loss to open the season.

Kyle Thornell was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the ninth, but Sacred Heart reliever Jesus Medina, working his second inning, quickly got the next two outs. Conner Fikes extended the game with by singling to the pitcher to set the stage for Pinkston, whose homer cleared the center field fence. 

In addition to the 24 runs, the game featured 22 hits, 19 walks, seven hit by pitches and five errors.

Again it was Victor Sorrento leading the offense, finishing with a career-high three hits to go along with three RBI's for the second straight day, while also scoring two runs and stealing two bases. Keith Klebart added a career-best three hits and three RBI's as well, while Dan Schock had his second consecutive multi-hit game. Zach Short walked three times, scored three runs and stole two bases, tying career-highs in each category. 

After Jason Foley and John Sostarich combined to allow seven earned runs in the first four innings, Alex Perry pitched two scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out two. Baylor Sundahl pitched a hitless seventh inning but still gave up one run. Medina pitched a 1-2-3 eighth before being tagged with the loss.   

Garrett McMullen joined Pinkston in recording three RBI's for Stephen F. Austin, also scoring two runs in a 2-5 performance. Conner Fikes and Slayton Vaughan each had three hits, with Fikes also one of four Lumberkjacks to score four runs. Tyler Starks pitched the final scoreless 3.2 innings, allowing one lone hit and walking just one to earn the win.

Sacred Heart will look to avoid the sweep tomorrow with a 2 pm ET, 1 pm local first pitch.

How it Happened

• Stephen F. Austin stuck in the first for a second straight day with two-out RBI singles by McMullen and Fikes for an early 3-0 lead
• Eight of the first nine Pioneer batters in the seven run third reached base, beginning with Ted Shaw getting hit by a pitch. Keith Klebart and Schock then had back-to-back singles to plate Shaw before Jayson Sullivan reached on an error that allowed Klebart to score. Following the first out, Short worked one of his three walks to load the bases for Sorrento, who came through with a two-RBI double to center field. Two straight walks by PJ DeFilipo and Cody Doyle plated the fifth run before Klebart put an exclamation point on the inning with his second hit of the inning, a two-out, two-run single to center.
• SFA came right back with two runs of its own in the bottom half to pull within three on a Vaughan RBI single before a hit by pitch with two outs cut the lead to 7-5
• SHU immediately got those two runs backs when Medina and Short got on base for Sorrento, who stayed hot with an RBI single to left field, score Medina. Short then scored when on a throwing error by the catcher trying to throw out a stealing Sorrento, putting the Pioneers on top 9-5
• The first five Lumberjacks to come to the plate in the fifth reached based, which included an error to score the first run. Back-to-back walks plated the second before a sacrifice fly by Thornell made it a one run game. Again it was McMullen stepping up, tying the game on a bunt single
• Just as they had done all game, SHU had an answer in its next at bat with a spark from Short, who after walking to leadoff the inning and moving to third on a Sorrento single, stole home. With DeFilippo and Shaw walking to load the bases, Klebart roped his second RBI base hit of the day to bring home Sorrento and make the score 11-9. With the bases still loaded, the Pioneers had a chance to really break the game open, but Starks came on to escape the jam with a pop up and fly out
• The Lumberjacks made it a one run game in the seventh, taking advantage of Sundahl's control issues. After Michener walked with one out, Fikes was hit by a pitch. Michener then made an amazing hustle play, coming all the way around to score as the Pioneers failed to turn two on a ground out
• SHU advanced runners to scoring position in both the eighth and ninth but could not take advantage