NORFOLK, Va. (March 11, 2023) – It was double figures for the second straight day for the Sacred Heart University baseball team. On Saturday, it worked out much better for the red and white at Miller Field. Every player in the SHU lineup scored at least one run, and six scored at least twice, as the Pios capitalized on 12 walks, five hit batsmen and five wild pitches to run up a 16-3 win at Norfolk State.
The game was the middle contest of a three-game Northeast Conference weekend series, with Sacred Heart (5-7, 1-1 NEC) evening things up after dropping Friday's opener. The rubber game is set for noon on Sunday at Miller Field.
Already leading 1-0, the Pioneers seized control of the game early, with a quintet of runs in the top of the third to make it 6-0. SHU needed just three hits to plate the five runs, as the Spartans helped the cause with two errors, a walk, a hit batter and a wild pitch in the frame. Robert Farruggio (Fairfield, Conn.) had the inning's biggest salvo, with a two-run single to left field. Zack Kovalchik (Archbald, Pa.) also had an RBI single in the inning, while Tim McGuire (Portsmouth, R.I.) chased home a run with a sacrifice fly and Ryan Donnelly (Fairfield, Conn.) forced one home by drawing a bases-loaded walk.
Meanwhile, right-hander Michael Boyian (Norwalk, Conn.) set about throwing 83 pitches (48 strikes) over four scoreless innings to start things off for the Pios. He allowed one hit and struck out five, but also walked four, which elevated his pitch count. Right-hander David Aufiero (Glen Head, N.Y.) took over from there and tossed two scoreless innings with three strikeouts to pick up the win (1-0) out of the bullpen.
The Pioneers continued to support the pitching efforts with three runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to break the game wide open, at 10-0. In the fifth, John Greene (Naugatuck, Conn.) and Mark Smith (East Haven, Conn.) drove in runs with a squeeze bunt and a single to right, respectively, while a wild pitch saw home the only run of the sixth.
Norfolk State (3-10, 1-1 NEC) got on the board with two in the seventh, but Sacred Heart blew the doors off the game with a six-spot in the top of the ninth. From there, the bottom of the ninth was simply a matter of bookkeeping, as the Spartans picked up a run to create the 16-3 final.
Five Norfolk State pitchers combined to throw 205 pitches – and just 107 strikes – on the way to an ugly line for the day. In all, the Spartan hurlers yielded 16 runs (seven earned) on seven hits, walked 12, hit five batters, uncorked five wild pitches and struck out eight. Right-hander Donovan Whitfield (0-2) started and took the loss, after being touched for six runs (four earned) over the first 2.1 innings.
