STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Leading the entire game after scoring in its first at bat, the Sacred Heart baseball team fell victim to a three-run eighth inning in a 4-2 loss at Stony Brook on Tuesday afternoon.

Scoring only an unearned run in the fourth inning, the Stony Brook (8-9) offense finally came alive thanks to Andrew Gazzola's leadoff double. Toby Handley attempted to sacrifice him to third, but would only cause further trouble for SHU when he beat the throw. That allowed Jack Parenty's double to not only tie the game, but also give the Seawolves a 3-2 lead as Handley came in for the game-winning run.

Alex Perry entered in relief in an attempt to halt the momentum, but Johnny Caputo made it four hits in a row with a single, advancing Parenty to third. He then came home on Casey Baker's sacrifice fly to complete the scoring. Despite walking the following hitter, Perry settled in from there by recording the next two outs, but by that point the damage had been done.

Handley and Parenty each had two hits for SBU. In addition to Parenty's two RBI's and run in the eighth, he also scored the Seawolves' unearned run in the fourth, coming in Baker's ground out to the pitcher.

PJ DeFilippo singled with one out in the ninth but Sacred Heart (5-10) could not generate any further offense. That was the tenth hit of the afternoon for the Pioneers, who got three each from Ted Shaw and Jesus Medina. It was Shaw's second three-hit performance in four games and the first of the season for Medina. 

Shaw also scored the first run of the afternoon after leading off the game with a single. He moved up to second on a wild pitch and then took third on Keith Klebart's fly out. Zack Short drove him in with an RBI single.

Medina played a part in SHU's fourth inning run, following a Victor Sorrento leadoff single with one of his own. Dan Schock sacrificed the pair to second and third for and Jake Friar, who doubled the lead with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Sacred Heart had an excellent opportunity to add to its lead in the fifth when Anthony Capozziello led off with a walk and Shaw followed with a single. Klebart sacrificed the two to second and third, but Tim Kranz escaped the biggest Pioneer threat of the afternoon with back-to-back strikeouts.

Nonetheless, that looked as if it would be plenty for SHU starter James Taubl, who went two innings longer than his previous career-long outing by hurling six innings of three-hit ball. His lone blemish was the fourth inning unearned run. Aside from that, twice he worked around a runner reaching third base; first after a one-out triple in the first and then again with two outs in the sixth, as he induced a ground out for his final out of the day. He struck out a career-high four batters and walked just one. Breton LaRose was tabbed with the loss, as he failed to record an out in the decisive eight. 

Kranz was one of six Seawolves that limited the Sacred Heart offense to the two runs. He, Kevin Kernan and Aaron Pinto each tossed a scoreless inning of relief before Joe Baran worked the final two frames for his first win of the year. Connor Doyle and Tim Knesnik pitched the first four frames, each game up a run in two innings of work.

SHU begins its defense of its Northeast Conference title on Thursday when it travels to LIU Brooklyn for game one of a four game series. First pitch is set for 2:30 pm.