WEST POINT, N.Y. (April 12, 2023) – On a resplendent spring day at the United States Military Academy, the pitching rose to match the weather on Wednesday afternoon. In a contest which was well-pitched throughout – especially by midweek college baseball standards – the Sacred Heart University baseball team and Army buzzed through nine innings in just 135 minutes at Doubleday Field. A two-run home run from Derek Berg in the bottom of the second stood as the difference, as Army posted a 4-2 win in non-conference play.
Army (21-12), the Patriot League leader, scored two runs apiece in the first and second innings and never relinquished the lead. In the first, a pair of walks and an infield single loaded the bases with nobody out, before Ross Friedrick bounced into a double play to bring in the game's first run. Sam Ruta followed and lifted a towering fly ball down the left field line. John Greene (Naugatuck, Conn.) gave chase, but overran the ball in the corner, as it fell in fair for an RBI double.
In the second, William Parker reached on an infield single and stole second. Berg then launched a long, two-out home run to left field, his seventh of the season to tie for the team lead.
Sacred Heart (14-15) picked up one run each in the fourth and fifth innings, but could get no closer. In the fourth, Justin Jordan (Darien, Conn.) doubled leading off. Two batters later, Sam Mongelli (Marlboro, N.Y.) drove a ball deep into the gap which one-hopped over the fence in left-center for an automatic RBI double.
In the fifth, Robert Farruggio (Fairfield, Conn.) socked a one-out solo home run to straightaway left, his third of the campaign. The Pios were able to get the tying run on base in the seventh, and to the plate in both the eighth and the ninth, but were unable to find another big hit to mount a rally.
The story of the game was largely on the mound. First-year right-hander Nick Kane (West Hartford, Conn.) surrendered four runs on four hits over the first two innings, but then did not allow another hit in his four total innings of work. He walked two, struck out seven and suffered the loss (0-1). Four SHU pitchers combined to strike out 10 and allowed just five hits on the afternoon.
For Army, right-hander Steven Graver logged the first four innings, allowed one run on three hits and did not factor in the decision. Left-hander Will Hart (1-0) threw the next two innings, allowed one run on four hits and struck out three to pick up the win. Right-hander Robbie Buecker struck out two and did not allow a hit over the final 1.2 innings to earn his second save of the year.
SHU is now back home for its next eight games, beginning with a three-game Northeast Conference series against Fairleigh Dickinson this weekend. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday at Veteran's Park in Bridgeport, Conn.
