March 30, 2007

Box Score

WEST HARTFORD, CT - Senior Bobby McKee (Massapequa, NY) collected three hits and four RBI, while senior Chris Howard (Ghent, NY) allowed just one run in six innings as the Sacred Heart University baseball team defeated the University of Hartford 7-5 on Friday afternoon.

Sacred Heart, 7-9, built a 7-0 lead in the first five innings. Senior Rob Tencza (Meriden, CT) drove in the game's first run with a single in the first. SHU made it 3-0 in the second, driving out Hartford starter Pete Moraski, on a two-run single by McKee.

The Pioneers got two more in the third off Hawks reliever Marc Toomey on a two-run double to right center by freshman Steve Tedesco (Mission Viejo, CA). McKee drove in two more with a single in the fifth to give SHU a 7-0 bulge.

Hartford, 2-14, got a run in the bottom of the fifth off Howard on a two-out double to right by Brady Stouffer. The first batter in the sixth reached on an error for Hartford, but Howard got the next three in order.

George Lamar (Briarcliff, NY) came on in relief in the seventh and retired the side in order. He walked Stouffer to start the eighth and then gave up and RBI triple to Adam Bowser. After getting the next batter, Lamar yielded an RBI single to by Bill Perry. Lamar then hit Ryan Crowley and Jon Ricco followed with a run-scoring single that chased Lamar.

Chris Barthel (Northford, CT) came out of the bullpen for the Pioneers and got the first batter to ground back to the box, but the runners advanced to second and third. Barthel walked the next batter and then was called for a balk that allowed the fourth run of the inning to score.

In the meantime, freshman Bob Rogers was pitching masterfully out of the pen for the Hawks. Coming on with one out in the fifth, he held the Pioneers to just one hit and one walk for the remainder of the game.

Bowser singled to lead off the top of the ninth for Hartford, but rounded first too far and was thrown out on the return throw to the infield. Barthel got the next batter to ground out and it looked like the Pioneers had it easily in hand.

However, Perry followed with a double and Barthel walked the next batter. He followed that up by hitting Erik Price with a pitch to load the bases. Freshman Chris Zaccherio (Manhasset, NY) came out of the bullpen and got Matt O'Connell to ground back to the mound for the final out and his first collegiate save.

The win raised Howard's record to 3-2 and lowered his season ERA to 1.95. He allowed just four hits, striking out one and walking one.