BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The Sacred Heart baseball team held off a rallying Fairfield, thanks in large part to Victor Sorrento's six RBI's, to win its fourth straight game, 9-8, on Wednesday afternoon at Harbor Yard. The streak is the third such of the season for the Pioneers, who move to 18-14 overall with the victory over their cross-town rivals 

SHU seemed to be coasting to an easy victory after a five-run fifth inning that gave the Pioneers a 9-4 advantage. That lead would hold for the next two innings before Fairfield struck with four runs in the eighth to suddenly cut the deficit to just one.

Jake Salpietro led off the frame with a solo homer before back-to-back singles by Drew Blake and Troy Scocca and a walk loaded the bases with one out. This summoned Baylor Sundahl from the bullpen and freshman was able to get the second out with a strikeout. The next batter, Michael Conti, would flare a double down the left field just out of the reach of a diving Keith Klebart to clear the bases and make it a one-run game. 

Sundahl kept it at just that though, inducing an inning ending ground out in the next at bat to set up a save opportunity in the bottom of the ninth for James Cooksey. Working just his second relief appearance of the season, the graduate student picked up his first save on the year with a 1-2-3 inning to ensure Sacred Heart could finally breath a sigh of relief.

SHU built up the large lead thank in large part to Fairfield errors. The Stags committed four that led to five unearned runs for the Pioneers.

After a three-run Fairfield first that featured four straight hitters reaching and a big two-RBI double by Mac Crispino, Sacred Heart got the first of those unearned runs in the bottom half.  Two errors gave the Pioneers runners on first and third with one out, allowing Sorrento's fielder choice, which would have been a hit if not for the right fielder throwing out a runner at second, to plate SHU's first run.

Following one base runner reaching in the next three half innings, Sacred Heart established its first lead in the third. Anthony Capozziello led off with a single and Jayson Sullivan followed with a one-out bunt single. Fairfield looked to halt any potential momentum by throwing out Capozziello at third on a ball in the dirt, but the third baseman dropped it and the Pioneers would capitalize. With the next batter striking for what would have been the third out, Sorrento took advantage with a single to tie the game and smartly took second on the throw home. This proved important when he came in for the go ahead run on Dan Schock's single in the next at bat.

Mike Lembo made the lead stick with a scoreless fourth before Fairfield evened things up with an unearned run of its own in the fifth.  James Taubl, who extended his streak of not allowing a run to 25 innings and moved to a perfect 3-0 with 2.2 scoreless innings, did well to keep it to just that though, coming on for the final two outs of the fifth and stranding runners on second and third with one out.

All tied at four, Sacred Heart finally broke it open in the fifth, with yet another Fairfield error playing a part. Ted Shaw was the catalyst this time, doubling to begin it all before the fielding error and walk loaded the bases with none away. Once again it was Sorrento stepping up, roping a double to left field to clear the bases and put SHU on top for good. Later on, Jesus Medina doubled the advantage with a single to plate Sorrento and Cody Doyle drove in the eventual game-winning run with his sacrifice fly, which brought Klebart, who had walked after Sorrento's double.

A new career-high, Sorrento's six RBI's were the most by a Pioneer since the 2014 season. He joined Shaw and Medina with two hits apiece, as those three recorded six of SHU's nine base knocks. Sorrento and Shaw also had two runs each, joining Sullivan in crossing home twice.

Scocca would come off the bench to end the game as one of two Stags with two hits, joining Conti, who tallied three RBI's with the bases clearing double in the eighth. Crispino added two RBI's and Salpietro scored twice. 

Taubl and Lembo gave up two hits each in their combined four innings of scoreless relief. In addition to Taubl's impressive streak, Lembo maintains a 0.0 ERA in 6.2 innings this season. Jeff Stoddard made his first start of the season, and after giving up the three runs in the first, retired six straight hitters before being removed for Lembo following a hit by pitch with two outs in the third. 

Sacred Heart returns to Northeast Conference play, where the Pioneers are currently in second place at 9-2, on Friday at Fairleigh Dickinson with a 3 pm first pitch.