SHU scores three late in 5-2 victory

THREE UNEARNED RUNS IN THE NINTH PROPELS PIONEERS TO 5-2 WIN

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Sophomore Jonathan Scott (Princeton, N.J.) had a career-high three hits but Sacred Heart scored three unearned runs in the top of the ninth to break a 2-2 tie and salvage a 5-2 victory over the Bryant University baseball team in game four of their Northeast Conference series on Sunday afternoon at Conaty Park.

The loss is the first after eight-straight conference wins for the Bulldogs (20-15, 13-3 NEC) and their first at home after nine consecutive victories. The Pioneers (11-23, 8-8 NEC) snapped a seven-game losing streak with the victory and pull themselves back to .500 in league play.

On Sunday, Sacred Heart received a strong performance from right-hander Kody Kerski and made the most of three Bryant errors to score three unearned runs. Kerski tossed a complete game and held the Bulldogs to just two runs on 10 hits and struck out six.

The Bulldogs pushed across the first run of the game in the bottom of the third. Freshman Carl Anderson (Sudbury, Mass.), senior Connor Carignan (Norwich, Conn.) and freshman John Mullen (Walpole, Mass.) all found the same hole on the left side of the infield in consecutive at-bats to get the Bulldogs on the board. Mullen's single was the one that broke the deadlock, scoring Anderson from second. Bryant eventually loaded the bases with one out but Kerski escaped further damage with back-to-back strikeouts.

Sacred Heart tied the game in the top of the sixth as Dan Perez hit his first home run of the season to center field but the Bulldogs quickly regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Scott split the outfielders, doubling to right-center with one out. Two batters later, classmate Joseph Carcone (New Hartford, N.Y.) ripped a double inside the bag at first to score Scott from second and give the Black and Gold the lead.

Bryant's lead didn't last long either as the Pioneers tied the game in the very next inning. Rocco Gondek singled to start the inning, moved to second on sac bunt, to third on a single and scored as John Murphy beat out a double play ground ball at first.

Things fell apart for the Black and Gold in the ninth, however. Salvatore Lisanti (Bronx, N.Y.) was summoned and got a ground ball to third to start the inning but the throw from Mullen was in the dirt and allowed Gondek to reach safely. Troy Scribner moved him to second and Hunter Phillips drove a two-strike single through the right side and Gondek beat the throw to the plate to make it 3-2 in favor of the Pioneers. Sacred Heart tacked on two more runs as Murphy followed with a triple to right-center and Perez singled to left.

Lost in defeat was the excellent start from freshman Kevin McAvoy (Syracuse, N.Y.). For the fourth-straight game McAvoy was handed a no-decision after giving up two runs on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings. It was the third-straight quality start for the rookie right-hander who has not allowed more than three runs in an appearance since his first career start against Marshall. Classmate Trevor Lacosse (Watervliet, N.Y.) came on in relief in the seventh and didn't allow a run or a hit in 1 2/3 innings of relief and has given up just one unearned run over his last four appearances. Lisanti suffered his third loss of the season despite not allowing an earned run in the ninth.

Carignan joined Scott as the only players with multiple hits on the afternoon and finished the series with eight hits. Scott was 5-for-7 in three games and Mullen drove in four runs in the series.    

The Bulldogs return to the diamond on Tuesday when they head to Boston, Mass., to take on Northeastern at 3:30 p.m. The mid-week contest is the first of six-straight away from home for the Black and Gold.