Baseball's winning streak halted at 11 as Pioneers take game one, 3-1, Saturday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Sacred Heart sophomore left-hander James Taubl allowed just one run on five hits in a complete game effort to lead the Pioneers to a 3-1 victory over the Bryant University baseball team in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Conaty Park.

The loss snaps the Bulldogs' (31-8, 14-2 NEC) 11-game overall winning streak and their 10-game home winning streak. It is the third time in the last four years that the Pioneers (22-17, 13-4) have spoiled a 10-game or better winning streak for the Bulldogs.

Taubl, who hadn't allowed an earned run in 32-consecutive innings entering the game, allowed just one earned run on Saturday and stymied the Bulldogs. He scatted the five hits, walked three and struck out two. Taubl's streak was snapped at 35 2/3 innings on a sac fly in the fourth inning.

The Pioneers grabbed the early lead with a run in the second inning. Victor Sorrento started things with a single and Jake Friar and PJ DeFilippo delivered back-to-back two-out singles to score Sorrento.

Bryant was able to tie the game in the fourth thanks to some good baserunning from freshman Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.). He and senior Robby Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) opened the inning with consecutive singles before junior Matt Albanese (East Haddam, Conn.) flew out to center. Angelini alertly took third as throw came into second and then he raced home on a fly ball to left from senior Buck McCarthy (Saugus, Mass.).

The Bulldogs then appeared primed to take the lead in the fifth inning as they loaded the bases with no outs. Senior Zach Wood (Griswold, Conn.) started the inning with an infield single and then the Pioneer middle infield threw wild on a potential double-play ball, putting runners on second and third. Sophomore Malik Daley (Northborough, Mass.) then worked a walk to load the bases but SHU starter James Taubl got a foul pop to first and an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play to get out of the inning unscathed.

Sacred Heart used that momentum to retake the lead in the top of the sixth, plating a pair of runs. It was Sorrento again starting things as he singled to right with one out. A walk put two on and Jesus Medina and Friar followed with run-scoring hits to make it 3-1.

Senior James Davitt (Wallingford, Conn.) tossed a complete game in defeat, allowing three runs on nine hits. He walked two and struck out three on the afternoon. Wood was the only Bulldog to finish with multiple hits, while Rinn extended his on-base streak to 35 games with a single.

Sorrento finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Friar and DeFilippo each tacked on two hits for the Pioneers.