NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – After dropping the last four matchups, the Sacred Heart University baseball defeated Niagara in game one of a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Friday afternoon, 10-1.
Records
SHU: 18-21 (11-10 MAAC)
Niagara: 12-21 (7-11 MAAC)
Pitching
Joey Trombley: 8.0 IP, 0 R, 6 H, 1 BB, 4 SO
Lou Stallone: 1.0 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB
Hitting
Alex Ungar: 2 H, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Tim McGuire: 2 H, 2 RBI, 1 R
Peter Link: 1 H, 2 RBI, 2 R
How it Happened
The Sacred Heart bats were hot from the jump as
Alex Ungar set the tone with a laser double down the left field line. After
Peter Link reached on an error, Ungar snuck in for the game's opening run.
Tim McGuire then laid down a textbook sacrifice bunt, scoring Link and giving SHU a quick 2-0 lead.
The Pios kept rolling in the second as
Ronan Donohue put himself and
Joe Cilea in scoring position with a deep ball to centerfield. Ungar followed with a clutch sac fly to bring Cilea across the plate for the 3-0 lead.
In the third,
Gavin Donohue tagged up on a sac fly from
Steak Newman (yes,
that Steak Newman) to keep the momentum rolling.
Zack Kovalchik delivered in the sixth, roping a double into right-center to bring home McGuire. Another Niagara miscue opened the door again, and Ungar made them pay as Kovalchik crossed for a 6-0 Pioneer lead.
Kovalchik wasn't done as he showed the hustle, sliding home on a passed ball to make it 7-0 in the eighth.
The Pios poured it on in the ninth. Link ripped an RBI single to score Ungar. G. Donohue followed with a booming triple to right-center, scoring Link. McGuire capped the rally with a base hit to center, driving in G. Donohue for SHU's tenth run of the day.
Niagara managed to scratch one across in the bottom of the ninth on a Pioneer error, but the damage was done.
Joey Trombley was lights-out on the mound, dealing eight scoreless innings with six hits
allowed and four strikeouts. A dominant outing from the righty helped lock down the 10-1 win.
Up Next
The Pioneers return to Bobo Field for game two against Niagara tomorrow at 2 p.m.