BROOKLYN – Freshmen Brent Teller and Baylor Sundahl put the final touches on a dominant performance by the Sacred Heart pitching staff over the weekend, combining to shutout LIU Brooklyn for a third consecutive game in the Pioneers' 5-0 victory over the Blackbirds on Saturday afternoon. The win completed the a four-game sweep for SHU in its Northeast Conference opening series as the Pioneers have now won eight of ten to move just one game under .500 at 9-10.

The Pioneer pitching staff allowed just two earned runs on 14 hits in 32 innings in the four-game sweep. In his first career collegiate start, Teller went the first five and gave up just two hits while striking out three. Three walks and a hit batter did however force him to work out of two jams. First with one out and a runner on third in the second inning and then again in his final inning of work, the fifth, when two base on balls and the hit by pitch loaded the bases with two outs. A ground out got him out of the latter situation, securing a win in his second consecutive outing, as he has now gone 9.1 consecutive scoreless inning allowing just two hits. 

The escaped jam in the second allowed SHU to take the lead in the top of the third. Alex Perry followed Dan Schock's hit by pitch with a double, giving the Pioneers runners on second and third with none out. Schock would then try to score on Ted Shaw's grounder to first but was thrown out for the first out of the inning. LIU failed to capitalize on that though, as there was an error on the following at bat, allowing Perry to come in to score. Sullivan then doubled the advantage with a sacrifice fly that brought in Shaw.

Schock would have a part in Sacred Heart's fourth inning run, driving in Zack Short with a two-out RBI single. Short led off the frame with a single and then stole second. The lead grew to four when Victor Sorrento launched his second home run of the series with two outs in the fifth to tie Schock for the team-lead with three.

The Pioneers completed their scoring in the eighth, as again it was Schock playing a part, doubling with two outs before crossing home on Perry's single. Those two sophomores each finished 2-3 with a double, run and RBI, combining for four of SHU's seven hits. Schock also stole a base while Perry added a walk. 

Entering the game with a 4-0 lead in the sixth inning, Sundahl would more than make sure that stuck, as he too gave up just two hits in his four innings of work. In what was the longest outing of his collegiate career, he did not allow a runner to reach third base. Over his previous two relief appearances, he now scattered just three hits in 7.1 scoreless innings.

Teller and Sundahl spoiled what was a quality start from LIU Brooklyn (5-15) starter Anthony Rupp, who gave up just two earned runs on five hits in six innings. Tommy Jakubowski led the Blackbirds offensively, going 1-3 with a walk and a stolen base. 

Sacred Heart looks to make it five in a row on Tuesday, when it welcomes Yale to Harbor Yard for a 3 pm first pitch.