WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. (May 24, 2023) – The game was close. Until it wasn't.
 
The Sacred Heart University baseball team returned to the Northeast Conference Championship with style on Wednesday afternoon, as the fourth-seeded Pioneers utilized a 12-run bottom of the fourth inning to blitz fifth-seeded Long Island University, 23-2, in seven innings. The NEC Championship is being held at Heritage Financial Park, home of the South Atlantic League's Hudson Valley Renegades.
 
The win earns Sacred Heart (26-28) a date with top-seeded Central Connecticut State at 11 a.m. on Thursday. LIU (18-35) will face elimination at 7 p.m. Wednesday against sixth-seeded Maryland Eastern Shore, which dropped a 2-0 decision to third-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson in Wednesday's first game.
 
The Pios jumped out front in a hurry on Wednesday, with a run in the bottom of the first. Singles by Sam Mongelli (Marlboro, N.Y.) and Justin Jordan (Darien, Conn.), plus a walk to Dante D'Amore (Southington, Conn.) loaded the bases for Joe Emerson (Carlstadt, N.J.), who opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly to center field. SHU added a second run in the third, when Jordan singled, moved to second on another walk to D'Amore, and scored on an RBI single the other way through the left side of the infield by Ryan Donnelly (Fairfield, Conn.).
 
Sacred Heart broke things wide open in the last of the fourth. The Pios sent 16 batters to the plate against four LIU pitchers, collected nine hits and plated 12 runs to balloon the lead all the way out to 14-0. Emerson had a two-run double, as did D'Amore. The latter then came back around to cap the inning by lacing a three-run single into left-center.
 
The Pioneers added seven more runs in the fifth to turn things into a total laugher at 21-0. Once again, D'Amore provided a big blow, with a two-run single to left, while Emerson clubbed a two-run double to center field.
 
Both teams scored two runs in the sixth, but then the 10-run rule brought an end to the game after seven innings, with the 23-2 final score.
 
Right-hander Jake Babuschak (Jobstown, N.Y.) threw the first five innings without allowing a run. He allowed five hits, walked three and struck out five to pick up the win (6-4).
 
Right-hander Alec Huertas (6-6) fared decidedly less well on the other side for LIU. He was tagged for eight runs on nine hits and three walks over 3.1 innings.