FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University baseball team dropped its second midweek matchup against Bryant on Wednesday, this time at home, 7-6.
 
Records
SHU: 18-21
BRYANT: 19-16-1
 
Pitching
Mitch Hawkins: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 SO
Aidan Gray: 0.1 IP, 3 R (3 ER), 1 H, 2BB
Trent Price (L, 0-1): 0.1 IP, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB
Jonathan Peterson: 2.1 IP, 1 R (1ER), 1 H, 1 BB
Charlie Costello: 2.0 IP, 1 R (1ER), 2 H, 1 BB, 1 SO
 
Hitting
Alex Ungar: 2 H, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R
Zack Kovalchik: 1 H, 1 3B, 1 R, 1 RBI
Dave Yorke: 1 H, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R
 
How it Happened
The Pioneers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the very first inning. Alex Ungar set the tone with a laser double through the left side. Moments later, he crossed home on a throwing error off a Peter Link fielder's choice, with Link hustling into scoring position. Tim McGuire kept the momentum rolling, bringing Link across the plate with another fielder's choice.
 
Sacred Heart wasn't done yet. In the bottom of the second, CJ Nolan got things going and Ungar delivered again. The senior secured his second double of the day to make it 3-0 plating Nolan. The Pios padded the lead to 4-0 in the third, thanks to a deep sacrifice fly out from Zack Kovalchik who brought home Dante D'Amore.
 
The fifth inning took a turn as Bryant pieced together a five-run rally to snatch the lead. A series of small ball plays, walks, and timely hits including a bases-loaded double from Charlie Saul gave the Bulldogs a 5-4 edge.
 
Sacred Heart responded with grit in the sixth. Kovalchik sparked the offense with a rocket triple to center field, and Dave York followed with a clutch double down the left field line to tie it up. The Pios loaded the bases and regained the lead when Link took one for the team, literally, getting hit by a pitch to plate Yorke.
 
Bryant, however, wasn't finished. A sac fly in the seventh tied things up again, and another in the eighth ultimately sealed a narrow 7-6 win for the Bulldogs.
 
Up Next
The Pioneers will head to Buffalo, N.Y., to face Niagara in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) weekend series starting Friday at 3 p.m.