SPARTANBURG, S.C. (March 7, 2023) – Following a sweep at the hands of Wofford over the weekend, the Sacred Heart University baseball team found itself in need of some good vibes ahead of opening Northeast Conference play later this week. The vibes were found on Tuesday afternoon at Cleveland S. Harley Baseball Park, where the Pios used a five-run sixth to turn the tables on the way to a 10-6, non-conference victory at USC Upstate.
Sacred Heart (4-6) had just surrendered a run in the bottom of the fifth and trailed by a run, 4-3, when the top of the sixth rolled around. Two hits, a pair of walks, an error, a hit batter and a wild pitch turned the tide of the afternoon, as the Pios plated five in the frame. A walk to Tim McGuire (Portsmouth, R.I.), a single by John Greene (Naugatuck, Conn.) and a hit batsman in the form of Sam Mongelli (Marlboro, N.Y.) combined to load the bases with one out.
USC Upstate (7-6) went to the bullpen and brought in right-hander Nate Thomas, who promptly poured gasoline on the fire. Thomas walked Ryan Donnelly (Fairfield, Conn.), for the latter's second RBI walk of the day, and then surrendered a two-run double to right field to Joey Skarad (Stamford, Conn.), while an error on the play scored a third run as well. Thomas departed in favor of right-hander Braden Consaul, who immediately uncorked a wild pitch to score Skarad with the fifth run of the inning.
USC Upstate got two right back in the last of the fifth to cut the gap to 8-6. Noah Rabon led off with a double down the left-field line and scored two batters later, when Jace Rinehart reached on an error. Rinehart would eventually score when right-hander David Aufiero (Glen Head, N.Y.) issued a bases-loaded walk to Noah Sullivan.
After the seventh inning went scoreless, SHU tacked on a pair of important insurance runs in the top of the eighth, which wound up creating the 10-6 final. Mark Smith (East Haven, Conn.) and Mongelli opened the inning with consecutive singles, and both eventually came around to score on a two-run single to right by Dante D'Amore (Southington, Conn.).
Right-hander Nick Kane (West Hartford, Conn.) started and threw the first three innings for SHU. He allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits, walked three, struck out two and did not factor in the decision. Right-hander Mitch Hawkins (Southbury, Conn.) tossed the next 2.2 innings to pick up the win (2-0) out of the bullpen, after he surrendered three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk.
Right-hander Julian Parson started for the Spartans, threw 3.2 innings, allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits, struck out two and also did not factor in the decision. Right-hander David James (0-1) took the loss after conceding three runs on one hit and four walks over 1.2 innings.
SHU opens NEC play over the weekend with three games at Norfolk State. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. on Friday, 1 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday at Miller Field in Norfolk, Va.
