COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (February 25, 2024) – The Sacred Heart University baseball team has struggled to get everything going at the same time so far this season, and Sunday afternoon was no different. The offense had its best day of a three-game weekend trip to Tennessee Tech, by far, but the pitching staff had its worst day of the trip, also by far. As a result, eight runs scored was not nearly enough, as the Pioneers suffered a 21-8 defeat at Bush Stadium in the series finale.
Tennessee Tech (6-1) was off and running immediately, with six in the bottom of the first inning. Troy Baunsgard opened the scoring with a solo home run to left field, which was the first of two dingers in the inning, as Preston Steele later clubbed a three-run shot to left-center. In between, Eddie Garza knocked a two-run single through the right side. Garza had four runs batted in before the second inning was out, as he provided a two-run double to left his next time up.
Trailing 8-0 through two, Sacred Heart (0-6) briefly cut into the gap with three in the top of the third.
Dennis Gamester (West Haven, Conn.) walked, and
Ronan Donohue (Melrose, Mass.) was hit by a pitch, as the Pios put two on with two away.
Peter Link (Holmes, N.Y.) cashed in two runs with a single to center and the inning's third run later scored on a first-and-third double-steal play.
TTU put things on ice by responding with five more in the home half of the third. Hayden Gilliland and Nicho Jordan provided the knockout blows in back-to-back at-bats, as the former hit a two-run double to center and the latter followed with a two-run triple to center.
It was all academic from there, as the host Golden Eagles cruised to the 21-8 victory.
Zack Kovalchik (Archbald, Pa.) and Donohue both joined Link with two runs batted in for SHU. Kovalchik had an RBI single in the fifth and a run-scoring double in the seventh. Donohue plated a run with a single in the fifth and drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth.
Baunsgard hit his second home run of the game for Tennessee Tech in the seventh, a three-run shot to left-center.
Left-hander
Jonathan Peterson (Florham, Park, N.J.) was the first of seven pitchers to climb the mound for SHU. He lasted 1.1 innings, was charged with eight runs (three earned) on six hits, walked two, hit a batter, struck out three and suffered the loss (0-1).
Right-hander Jack Brafa started on the mound for Tennessee Tech and could not last long enough to pick up the win, despite all the run support. Over three innings of work, he allowed three runs on two hits, walked one, hit one and struck out one. Right-hander Juan Vargas (1-0) tossed the next 1.1 innings, allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits, walked two and struck out two to pick up the win in relief.
Sacred Heart has a third southern trip on the docket for next weekend, as it will travel for the Central Virginia Classic on March 1-3. The Pios will visit Virginia Commonwealth on Friday at 3 p.m., Richmond on Saturday at 1 p.m. and William & Mary on Sunday at 1 p.m.
