SMITHFIELD, R.I. (March 19, 2024) – It was a strong start on the road on Tuesday afternoon for the Sacred Heart University baseball team, which led 3-1 after five and 3-2 after six at Conaty Field. The back end of the game proved problematic though, as host Bryant scored three in the seventh and two more in the eighth to rally for a 7-4 win in the non-conference contest.
Michael Simonelli (Milford, Conn.) was 2-for-4 with an RBI double in defeat for the Pioneers.
SHU (7-11) got things started right away, in the top of the first. Simonelli opened the contest with a single to right field but was erased at second base when
Gavin Donohue (Melrose, Mass.) bounced into a fielder's choice. Donohue moved up on a wild pitch and then scored from second on a single back through the middle by
Zack Kovalchik (Archbald, Pa.).
Bryant (9-9) got even in the home half of the second. Brandyn Durand led off with a double into the gap in right-center, advanced on a single by Carmine Petosa and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Jackson Phinney.
Sacred Heart plated single runs in the fourth and the fifth to open up a 3-1 lead. In the fourth,
Ronan Donohue (Melrose, Mass.) cracked a two-out double to right-center and came around to score on an error. In the fifth,
Joey Vitiello (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) went the other way to open the inning with a triple into the right-field corner and scored on a squeeze bunt by
Charlie Tallman (Fair Haven, N.J.).
Bryant got one back in the last of the sixth. Gavin Noriega singled up the middle leading off and eventually scored while Durand bounced into an RBI fielder's choice.
The Bulldogs struck for the lead with a three-spot in the bottom of the seventh. An infield single and a pair of walks loaded the bases with two outs and then a wild pitch tied the game at 3-3. This left two runners in scoring position for Daniel Baruch, and he cashed them both in with a two-run double down the right-field line.
SHU got one back in the top of the eighth, as Tallman doubled down the right-field line and scored when Simonelli doubled down the left-field line. However, Bryant would plate two in the bottom of the eighth to create the 7-4 final. Durand walked, stole second and scored on an RBI double down the left-field line by Phinney. Phinney would score on a single to left by Chris Einemann.
Right-hander
Jake McDowell (Brookfield, Conn.) threw the first three innings on Tuesday for SHU. He allowed one run on two hits, walked two and struck out one. Right-hander
Nick Kane (West Hartford, Conn.) came on for the seventh and was charged with the loss (0-1). He was hit with three runs on two hits and a pair of walks.
Right-hander Colin Brodeur opened for Bryant and threw the first two innings. He ceded one run on two hits. Right-hander Liam LeVangie (2-1) later worked the seventh and eighth to win in relief after allowing one run on two hits and recording three strikeouts. Left-hander Zach Nichols struck out three around a two-out walk to toss a scoreless ninth and earn his third save of the season.
Sacred Heart will visit Stonehill for a three-game Northeast Conference series this weekend. Changes to the schedule are expected with wet weather in the forecast.
