NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Alex Ungar homered twice to fuel a Sacred Heart University baseball comeback against Niagara in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play on Sunday afternoon, but the Pioneers came up just short in a 10-9 bout in Niagara University, N.Y.
 
Records
SHU: 18-22 (11-11 MAAC)
Niagara: 13-21 (8-11 MAAC)
 
Pitching
Ryan Parker: 2.1 IP, 5 R (5 ER), 5 H, 2 BB, 1 SO
PJ Rogan: 1.1 IP, 5 R (5 ER), 5 H, 2 SO
Bryan Matuschat: 4.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 SO
 
Hitting
Alex Ungar: 3 H, 3 RBI, 3 R, 2 HR
Tim McGuire: 2 H, 2 RBI, 1 R
Dante D'Amore: 1 H, 2 R, 1 BB
 
How it Happened
Sacred Heart opened the game on a tear, putting three runs on the scoreboard in the first. With two runners in scoring position and two out, Tim McGuire kicked off today's scoring with a two-run single to right field. Dave Yorke brought in the third run with a single of his own to make it a 3-0 game. 

Unfortunately for the Pios, the Purple Eagles' bats were just as hot to start the game, as Niagara immediately cut the margin to 3-2 with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first. 

SHU was ready with an answer in the top of the second, rebuilding a three-run advantage, 5-2. After leading off the first with a single, Ungar continued his outstanding day with a two-run homer in the second, driving in Joe Cilea with a blast to left center. 

Following a scoreless bottom second and top third, Niagara took command of the action with a six-run bottom third. The Purple Eagles strung together six runs on four hits, one of them being a grand slam from Evan Wilde. 

Niagara added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a commanding 10-5 lead. 

The Pioneers started to rally in the top of the sixth, with Ronan Donohue and Ungar going back-to-back with solo homers to make it a 10-7 game. Ungar's second homer marked a single-game career-high for the senior, as he is already up to a team-high nine long balls this year. The last Pioneer to hit two home runs in a game was Dante D'Amore on Apr. 30, 2024, against Yale. 

SHU's comeback continued in the seventh, as the Pios loaded the bases with no outs. Zack Kovalchik brought in one run with a bases-loaded walk before Cilea drove in another with a sac fly. Unfortunately, a fly-out ended the threat as Sacred Heart still trailed 10-9. 

The Pioneers did not get a better chance to tie the game, as Niagara's Damiani Andrew put SHU down in order in both the eighth and ninth innings to claim his fourth save of the season by sealing a 10-9 victory. 

Ryan Parker, PJ Rogan and Bryan Matuschat split pitching responsibilities this afternoon. Parker and Rogan each gave up five runs during their appearances, while Matuschat held the Purple Eagles scoreless over 4.1 innings. The first year stuck out a season-high three batters. 
 
Up Next
The Pioneers return home on Tuesday, Apr. 29, to begin a season-ending 11-game homestand with a 3 p.m. nonconference tilt against Fordham at Veterans Park.