FAIRFIELD, Conn. — The Sacred Heart University baseball team fell 7-5 against the Sharks for a 2-1 series win.
Records:
Sacred Heart: 7-35, 5-13 NEC
Long Island: 27-14, 12-6 NEC
Up Next:
The Red & White have a week of rest before their home weekend series against Mount St. Mary's. The first game is slated for 3 p.m. on May 6 at Veteran's Memorial Park.
Statistical Leaders:
George Sutherland (SHU): 1-3, 2R, 1RBI, 1BB
Robert Farruggio (SHU): 0-3, 2RBI, 1BB
Ryan Donnelly (SHU): 2-5, 1R
Pitchers:
Owen MacDonnell (SHU): (L, 0-4) 3.0IP, 4H, 1BB, 4K
Josh Gainer (LIU): (W, 2-1) 4.0IP, 3H, 3R, 2BB, 1K
Of Note:
Sacred Heart took an early lead 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Robert Farruggio reached first base on an error by the shortstop which allowed Ryan Donnelly and Justin Jordan to score. Two batters later, Steven Schoen's single through the right side sent George Sutherland home.
In the third inning, the Sharks shortened the gap with a run up the middle before knotting it at three apiece two frames later.
Sutherland's double just fair of the left field line snapped the tie as Joe Emerson came home in the bottom of the fifth.
With Dante D'amore at bat, Sutherland stole third before he went home on a pickoff error by the catcher to put the Pioneers up 5-3.
A three-run eighth inning helped the Sharks regain a 6-5 lead before tallying an insurance run in the ninth.
As a reliever, Owen MacDonnell faced one batter in the top of the fifth and struck out a swinging Shark with runners on the corners. The first-year put in three innings of work with a season-high four strikeouts.
Ryan LaMay retired one to close out the eighth inning with two outs and runners on first and second base. The right-hander went 1.1 innings and struck out one Shark.
Sutherland led the team with two runs and brought one home. The graduate transfer hit one of three with a walk.
LIU outhit SHU 13-7 and stranded 13 compared to the seven Pioneers left on the bags.
