BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University baseball team defeated Quinnipiac University in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play battling out a five-run deficit to walk it off 11-10 on Friday afternoon.
 
Records
SHU: 26-24 (15-13)
QU: 26-23-1 (17-12)
 
Pitching
Elijah Foster: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 8 SO
Bryan Matuschat: 0.0 IP, 4 H, 6 R (5 ER), 1 BB
Charlie Costello: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 1 SO
Ryan Redmond: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 SO
PJ Rogan (W, 4-1): 0.2 IP, 1 SO
 
Hitting
Zack Kovalchik: 3 H, 4 R, 1 2B
Peter Link: 2 H, 4 R
Alex Ungar: 2 H, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 2B
Nathan Bowes: 1 H, 2 RBI
 
How it Happened
Quinnipiac jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single by Alex Irizarry. But SHU answered right back in the second. With the bases loaded, JW Fitzgerald grounded out to bring in Peter Link, then Alex Ungar followed with an infield single to score Zack Kovalchik, putting the Pios up 2-1.
 
In the third, Elijah Foster struck out the side to hold the Bobcats scoreless.
 
SHU padded the lead in the fifth as Gavin Donohue laced a double to left to score Ungar, making it 3-1.
 
Quinnipiac got one back in the sixth with a solo homer from Sebastian Mueller, but SHU wasted no time responding. In the bottom of the inning, Ronan Donohue hit a sac fly to bring in Link, and Fitzgerald bunted Kovalchik home for a 5-2 advantage.
 
Then things got wild.
 
The Bobcats exploded in the seventh for eight runs, capitalizing on some Pioneer miscues to take a 10-5 lead. But SHU wasn't done.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, Dante D'Amore launched a solo shot to left-center to cut the deficit to four.
 
The Pios kept the rally going in the eighth. With runners on the corners, Ronan Donohue ripped a two-run double down the left field line, then Ungar followed with an RBI double of his own to bring SHU within one, 10-9.
 
Quinnipiac threatened in the top of the ninth, but PJ Rogan slammed the door shut with two strikeouts and a fly out to give SHU one last shot.
 
After two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Pioneers showed their grit. Link drew a walk, Kovalchik was hit by a pitch, and R. Donohue walked to load the bases. That's when head coach Pat Egan called on freshman Nathan Bowes to pinch hit.
 
On just the second pitch he saw, Bowes delivered smashing a single through the left side to score Kovalchik and Link for the walk-off win.
 
Up Next
The Pioneers will face Quinnipiac one last time tomorrow at 1 p.m. when the series will be decided.