May 6, 2006

Box Score

BRIDGEPORT, CT - Junior pitcher Jay Monti (Marlboro, NY) tossed a six-hit shutout and Rob Tencza (Meriden, CT) drove home the only run of the first game of a Northeast Conference doubleheader with a sacrifice fly in the seventh to give Sacred Heart University (19-24, 11-8) a 1-0 win over visiting Central Connecticut State on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Devils (26-14, 11-6) came back to take the second game 4-0 behind Matt Gianini's three-hit shutout.

Monti matched zeros with CCSU's Evan Scribner through the first six innings of the opener. Senior Josh Enos (Paulsboro, NJ) led off the bottom of the seventh against Scribner with a double down the left field line. Jason Maiella (N. Haledon, NJ) sacrificed him to second. Scribner intentionally walked first baseman Jeff Hanson (Woodstock, NY) to put runners at the corners with one out.

Tencza hit a ball to deep right field that hugged the foul line. Jay Schillaci went over to make the play on the ball and intentionally dropped it at the line, hoping to get the foul call. However, Schillaci was in fair territory when he touched the ball. The umpire ruled it a fair ball and Enos came home with the winning run.

Central Connecticut scored the only runs it would need in the second game in the top of the second inning off SHU starter Chris Aldrich (Medway, MA). Junior Adam Taha led off the inning with a double and went to third on a lineout to third by Schillaci. He scored on a ground out to second by Matt Memoli. With two outs, the bottom third of the Blue Devil lineup got consecutive hits. The third hit, by Garrett Walker, scored the second CCSU run of the inning.

CCSU would score two more in the sixth. Junior shortstop Sean Salvatore (Southington, CT) led off the frame with a homer to left, his third of the season. Taha followed with a single and went to third on a double to right center by Schillaci. He scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Memoli.

Gianini cruised through the Pioneer lineup striking out six and walking two to raise his record to 6-4.

The two teams complete the three game series Sunday night at 6:00 p.m.