HAMDEN, Conn. (April 9, 2024) – A seven-run fifth inning took the drama out of things on the road on Tuesday afternoon, as the Sacred Heart University baseball team rang up a 12-6, non-conference win over MAAC member Quinnipiac. Senior Michael Hernandez (Bridgeport, Conn.) socked his first collegiate home run in the victory. SHU is now 2-0 this spring against teams from the MAAC, which the Pios will be a member of next season.
 
Sacred Heart (16-13) got two right from the jump on Tuesday, to take the lead in the top of the first inning. Gavin Donohue (Melrose, Mass.) led off the game with a single back up the middle, advanced on a single to center by Peter Link (Holmes, N.Y.) and scored on an RBI single through the right side of the infield by Dante D'Amore (Southington, Conn.). Link went first-to-third on the D'Amore single and then scored when Alex Ungar (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) reached with an RBI fielder's choice.
 
The Pioneers broke the game wide open with seven more runs in the top of the fifth inning. SHU sent 10 men to the plate in the frame and collected six hits, including three for extra bases. Dennis Gamester (West Haven, Conn.) drilled a two-run home to straightaway left, his first of the season. Donohue pulled an RBI double down the left-field line and D'Amore lifted a sacrifice fly to left field. Then, Ronan Donohue (Melrose, Mass.) capped the inning with a mammoth three-run shot to left field, his fourth of the campaign.
 
From there, it was all academic. Quinnipiac (9-19) got two in the fifth and another in the sixth to get on the board, before SHU responded with two in the seventh. The Bobcats plated one in the eighth and the Pioneers got it right back in the ninth. QU notched two in the last of the ninth to create the 12-6 final.
 
It was a special moment for SHU's local Bridgeport product, Hernandez, in the top of the ninth. Playing in his 56^th game as a Pio, the senior left fielder jumped all over the first pitch he saw and hammered it over the fence in left for his first career home run.
 
Seven SHU pitchers combined on an eight-hit effort on the afternoon. Right-hander Jack Kramer (Glen Rock, N.J.) made his first start of the season and threw 68 pitches (44 strikes) over 4.1 innings of work. He allowed two runs on three hits, walked one and struck out three. Right-hander David Aufiero (Glen Head, N.Y.) got the final two outs of the fifth and picked up the win (2-1) in relief.
 
Right-hander Andrew Rubayo (1-1) took the ball and the loss on the hill for Quinnipiac. Over four-plus innings and 62 pitches (42 strikes), he surrendered six runs on eight hits and struck out one.
 
Sacred Heart is home this weekend for a three-game series against Le Moyne. First pitch is 3 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday at Veterans Memorial Park in Bridgeport.