FAIRFIELD, Conn. — The bullpen for the Sacred Heart University baseball team prevailed past Long Island with a 9-6 win for the series win on Saturday. 

Records:
Sacred Heart: 7-34, 5-12 NEC
Long Island: 26-14, 11-6 NEC

Up Next:
Sacred Heart rounds out a three-game series against LIU at Veteran's Memorial Park tomorrow at 1 p.m.

Statistical Leaders:
Dante D'amore (SHU): 3-4, 3R, 2RBI
Robert Farruggio (SHU): 2-5, 1R, 1HR, 2RBI
Ryan Donnelly (SHU): 3-5, 2R

Pitchers:
Jake McDowell (SHU): (W, 1-2) 7.0IP, 5H, 4BB, 2K
Jalen Wade (LIU): (L, 4-2) 4.1IP, 10H, 7R, 1BB

Of Note:
The Red & White pitchers held LIU to six runs on eight hits as the duo stranded six for a combined seven strikeouts. The Sharks stagnated at four runs after the fourth inning until a two-run homer in the ninth.

Jake McDowell opened for seven innings in his longest stint on the mound with a pair of strikeouts. For his first win of the season, the right-hander pulled out three-straight K's from under his belt in the second, sixth and seventh innings.

Coming in as relief in the top of the eighth with no outs, Michael Attonito sent three-straight Sharks packing and left the bases loaded. The left-handed pitcher closed out the final two innings and struck out a season-high five batters.

Sam Mongelli recorded the first run for the Pioneers in the first off the bat of George Sutherland. At the next at bat, Robert Farruggio's single brought home Ryan Donnelly from third base.

With the score knotted at two apiece, Dante D'amore brought Mongelli home for his second run on the day in the third inning. Two more runs were added to the board as D'amore and Donnelly crossed the plate thanks to Joey Skarad's double through the left side.

In the fifth inning, D'amore's two-bagger to centerfield allowed Sutherland to notch a run before he was sent home by Steven Schoen one batter later.

As the designated hitter, Farruggio sent a bomb over the fence for his third home run in 2022 to put SHU up 8-4. 

For his third time, D'amore rounded home as he tallied the final run with help from Justin Levito's single through the left side.

Sacred Heart outslugged LIU 16-8.

Accounting for almost half of the score, D'amore went three of four with a trio of runs and two RBIs. The first-year ticked off the eventual game-winning run in the third.

Ryan Donnelly was also a powerhouse for the Pioneers as he hit three of five and touched home twice.