NEW HAVEN, Conn.— The Sacred Heart baseball team dropped the Northeast Conference series opener to Wagner College, 6-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Ballpark at SCSU. After a delayed start due to rain, the Seahawks (11-18, 3-5 NEC) offense outhit the Pioneers (12-24, 5-5 NEC) 17-3 in the game.

Wagner opened the scoring with one run in the first inning as Anthony Pecora doubled to deep centerfield to score Freddy Sabido. Senior Ted Shaw picked up the Pioneers first hit in the bottom of the second with a single to left field off Austin Goeke. The Seahawks then added back-to-back two run innings off junior James Taubl to take the 5-0 lead including a two-run home run from Joe Silvestrone. Taubl's afternoon ended after three and a third innings as Wagner picked up five runs off ten hits. Phil Capra extended the lead to 6-0 in the top of the seventh with his RBI single to first base.

The Pioneers looked to rally off Goeke as senior Keith Klebart opened the bottom of the seventh with a single to left field. Shaw then worked an eight pitch at bat into a walk to put runners on first and second. Goeke picked back-to-back flyouts to right before junior Cody Doyle stepped up with the RBI single up the middle to put the Pioneers on the board.  SHU threatened in the ninth with runners in scoring position on back-to-back two-out walks by Sabido, but the lefthander was able to escape the jam and give the Seahawks the 6-1 win.

Goeke pitched seven strong innings, allowing just one run on three hits with eight strikeouts. Sabido pitched two scoreless frames to close the game as both pitchers held the Pioneer offense to the lowest hit total in conference play this season. Sophomore Baylor Sundahl pitched five and two third innings in relief, only allowing one run on seven hits while striking out three. 

The Pioneers and Seahawks wrap up their season series on Sunday, April 23 with a doubleheader at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard beginning at 1:00 p.m.