FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University baseball team came back from a four-run deficit to defeat the University of Massachusetts Tuesday afternoon, 16-7. The Pioneers combined for 18 hits over eight innings with three Pios having three hits.
 
Records
SHU: 18-17 
UMass: 10-20-1
 
Pitching
Mitch Hawkins: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 4 SO
Nick Kane: 1.0 IP, 1 R (1 ER), 2 H, 2 SO
Spencer Nicely: 0.1 IP, 2 R (2 ER), 2 H
Trent Price: 0.2 IP, 0 R, 1 SO
Jonathan Peterson (W, 1-0): 1.0 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 1 SO
Chris Mazza: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 SO
 
Hitting
Alex Ungar: 3 H, 3 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR
Dante D'Amore: 3 H, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 2B
CJ Nolan: 3 H, 3 R, 1 RBI
Gavin Donohue: 2 H, 3 R, 1 RBI
Zack Kovalchik: 1 H, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR
 
How it Happened
The moody weather mirrored the game's ebbs and flows on Tuesday afternoon, as the two teams battled through rain, sun, and gusty winds. The day began under gray skies, both overhead and on the scoreboard, as the Minutemen struck first with an unearned RBI single in the opening frame.
 
In the second inning, with the bases loaded, JW Fitzgerald delivered a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing home Peter Link to even the score at 1-1.
 
Following a quiet third inning, UMass regained the lead with an RBI single. Despite giving up a run, Nick Kane limited the damage by striking out a batter and stranding three Minutemen on base.
The visitors extended their lead to 4-1 in the fifth, powered by a gust-assisted two-run homer. Another run came across for UMass in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk.
 
Then the wind calmed, the sun broke through and so did the Pios. In the bottom of the sixth, Sacred Heart erupted for seven runs on seven hits. After leadoff batter Peter Link had to leave the game with an injury, pinch-hitter Zack Kovalchik stepped in facing an 0-1 count. He worked it full and launched a solo shot on a 3-2 pitch to kickstart the rally.
 
Fitzgerald followed with a two-run double down the left-field line, scoring Tim McGuire and Ronan Donohue. Gavin Donohue plated Fitzgerald with a perfectly placed bunt single to third, then Alex Ungar brought home CJ Nolan with an RBI single. Dante D'Amore capped off the inning with a two-run double, scoring Ungar and G. Donohue to put the Pios up 8-5.
 
Chris Mazza took the mound in the seventh and shut things down, retiring the side after walking the first batter. He notched a strikeout, and Steak Newman fired to second to catch a runner stealing before Mazza handled a grounder to end the inning.
 
With momentum fully on their side, SHU kept the offense rolling in the bottom of the seventh. Nolan singled and advanced to third on a double by G. Donohue. After UMass intentionally walked Ungar, D'Amore drove in Nolan with a single through the right side. Kovalchik added a sac fly to bring home G. Donohue, and D'Amore later scored on a double steal to extend the lead to 11-5.
 
Though UMass added a run in the eighth, SHU responded with five more in the home half. Nolan doubled to plate Fitzgerald, and Ungar followed with a three-run homer to left. R. Donohue added the exclamation point with an RBI single, making it 16-6.
 
UMass pushed across one more run in the ninth, but it wasn't nearly enough. The Pios secured a commanding 16-7 midweek win.
 
Up Next
SHU will head to Rider Thursday-Saturday for a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference series.