STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The Sacred Heart University softball team played a classic in its Northeast Conference series opener against Wagner on Friday afternoon but suffered a 3-2 loss in the bottom of the 10th inning. 

Team Records
Sacred Heart (17-22, 8-8 NEC)
Wagner (11-24, 7-9 NEC)

Wagner 3, SHU 2
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (L, 9.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 10 strikeouts, 8-10 record)
Eve Harvey (WC) - (W, 10.0 innings pitched, 2 earned run, 3 strikeouts, 10-12 record) 

Top Performers:
Nicole Henke (SHU) – 2-4
Sam Kowalski (SHU) – 1-3, 1 RBI

Of Note:
Sacred Heart opened the first inning with a run to take an early 1-0 advantage. Jenna Mowad kicked off the contest with a walk before a Carly Koltko single put runners on the corners. Alyssa Gonzalez brought the first run across with an RBI groundout. 

The Seahawks answered in the bottom of the first, putting two runs on the board to take a 2-1 lead. 

After the opening frame, neither team scored a run for the next five innings. Sam Kowalski settled in after the first by striking out the side in the second. After that, the first year didn't allow more than one base runner until the bottom of the seventh, where she worked out of a jam to force extras. 

On the other side of the ball, Kowalski helped force extra innings by hitting an RBI single in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 2-2. Gonzalez began the frame with a walk before Nicole Henke singled to put runners on the corners. Kowalski followed with a single to right field to plate a pinch-running Cayla Nista for the game-tying run. 

The Seahawks had another chance to take this afternoon's contest in the bottom of the eighth inning, loading the bases with one out. However, Victoria LoPinto had other ideas, as she gunned down a runner from center field to prevent a game-winning sacrifice fly. 

Unfortunately for the Pios, the Seahawks took the contest with a walk-off in the bottom of the 10th inning. With a runner on second because of extra-innings rules, a fielding error on a sacrifice bunt allowed the runner to fly by third base and score to end the game. 

Kowalski finished the afternoon with an outstanding stat line. The San Clemente, Calif., native allowed two earned runs, both in the first inning, and struck out a season-high 10 batters over 9.0 innings of work. 

Up Next
The Pioneers and Seahawks will be back in action tomorrow afternoon with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.