BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (May 10, 2023) – The Sacred Heart University baseball team is making a habit of scoring runs in bunches to come from behind and take care of business. After rallying twice over the weekend, the Pioneers did so again on Wednesday afternoon, courtesy of a seventh-inning, inside-the-park grand slam by
Justin Jordan (Darien, Conn.). The round-tripper put SHU in front to stay, as the Pios broke a six-game non-conference losing streak with a 9-5 victory over Stony Brook at Joe Nathan Field.
After surrendering a pair of early runs, Sacred Heart (21-26) evened things up with two in the top of the fourth, as Jordan singled and
Ryan Donnelly (Fairfield, Conn.) followed two batters later with a two-run home run to right field, his sixth of the season and fourth in a 16-day span.
Stony Brook (19-27) reclaimed the lead immediately, with one in the fourth and two in the fifth to stake out a 5-2 lead. In the fourth, Derek Yalon walked leading off, stole second, moved to third on a ground out and scored on an infield single by Chris Leone. In the fifth, a single and a hit batsman set the table for Brett Paulsen, who poked a two-out, two-run double down the right-field line.
The game turned in the top of the seventh, when Jordan came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded, after a walk to
Joe Emerson (Carlstadt, N.J.), a single to center by
Dante D'Amore (Southington, Conn.) and a walk to
Nick Jaskolski (Seaford, N.Y.). Jordan lifted a towering fly ball deep to right-center, which right fielder Matt DeStefano was unable to track down in the gap.
The fly ball hung up in the air for approximately six seconds (
video), and DeStefano and center fielder Evan Fox struggled to corral it after it hit the turf, which allowed the Pioneers to turn the basepaths into a merry-go-round. All three baserunners scored and Jordan made the full 360-foot circle tour of the infield and dove in safe ahead of the throw for the inside-the-park grand slam. It was his third home run of the season and first collegiate grand slam.
The Pios chalked up a trio of insurance runs in the ninth to create some breathing room, as Jaskolski had an RBI single,
Sam Mongelli (Marlboro, N.Y.) bounced into an RBI fielder's choice, and a third run scored on an error. Stony Brook loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth and got the tying run to the plate, before
Tyler Briggs (Franklin, Conn.) came out of the bullpen and rolled up a double play to finish things off.
Right-hander
Jake McDowell (Brookfield, Conn.) started and surrendered five runs (four earned) on four hits and three walks, with two strikeouts over five innings of work. Right-hander
Charlie Costello (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) picked up the win (4-1) with 3.1 scoreless innings of three-hit ball out of the bullpen before Briggs nailed down his fourth save of the season.
It was a staff day for Stony Brook, which used seven pitchers to get through the proceedings. Left-hander Sadier Vicioso (0-1) loaded the bases in the seventh and was victimized by the grand slam to surrender four earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning on the hill.
SHU hosts its home finale on Saturday, as Dartmouth comes to town for a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at Veterans Park, and the Pioneers will honor their 10-player senior class prior to the start of play.
