COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Sacred Heart University baseball team fell in a close opening match to SEC opponent University of South Carolina Friday evening at Founders Park 5-3.
Steak Newman led the Pios at the plate going 3-4 with two singles and one double.
Pitching:
Joey Trombley: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Lou Stallone (L 0-1): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1R, 1 W, 1 K
Ryan Redmond: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K
How it Happened:
The Gamecocks struck first with an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning as Nathan Hall scored on a passed ball. Hall had advanced to third on a Pioneer error. SHU held off South Carolina with back-to-back plays on the ground and a stop from
Peter Link in left field.
South Carolina struck again in the second. The first batter, Dalton Mashore singled through the left side before KJ Scobey advanced on fielders' choice. Scobey snuck by
Joey Trombley to steal second.
Dante D'Amore secured the first out at first base unassisted. Newman was not able to stop a pitch in the dirt and Scobey scored. Nathan Hall doubled down the left side as the ball caught the bag. SHU got the out as D'Amore stepped off for the grab while Trombley ran over to make the out at the bag.
The Pioneers responded in the top of the third with Newman. The sophomore secured the first hit of the day, and his first career as a Pioneer.
Chuck Tallman was the second Pio of the day to be hit by Ethan Eskew, advancing Newman in to scoring position. Back at the top of the batting order,
Gavin Donohue worked a full count then secured a base hit up the right side. With the bases loaded,
Alex Ungar took a hit by the pitch to bring in Newman to put the Pios on the board.
The Gamecocks responded off the bat, with a homerun through deep center from Ethan Petry. Trombley secured his first strike out of the day as Kennedy Jones went down looking. Talmadge LeCroy popped up to third and Trombley struck out Nawrocki looking to finish the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, Dalton Mashore reached second on a Pio error. Trombley walked Scobey. Newman caught Mashore stealing third for the first out of the inning. Trombley struck out Blake Jackson swinging.
Ronan Donohue's throw to first was in time to get the third out and the Pios held the Gamecocks scoreless in the fourth.
The Pioneers tied things up in the sixth.
Tim McGuire was walked by relief pitcher, Tyler Pitzer. R. Donohue battled throughout the next at-bat but went down swinging. Pitzer walked
Peter Link to put McGuire in scoring position. Newman doubled with a deep ball hitting the left field wall to bring in McGuire. Tallman worked the count and filled the bases on a walk.
With bases loaded and one out, the Gamecocks brought in Parker Marlatt to pitch. Marlatt secured the next out. Ungar was hungry to get his first hit of the night, and he did so with a hard-hit grounder to third that brought in Link to tie the game at 3-3. The Gamecocks finished off the inning without allowing the Pioneers to get the lead.
Lou Stallone took the mound for SHU in the sixth and kept the Gamecocks quiet.
South Carolina reclaimed its advantage in the seventh. Stallone secured his first strike out of the night to Scobey in the bottom of the seventh. Jackson was walked and stole second to place himself in scoring position. The Pioneers earned their second out as Hall hit a ground ball to Stallone. Jackson with the fast legs, snuck by the Pioneers to take third. Kazmar singled up the middle to score Jackson for the 4-3 lead.
The Gamecocks secured the win in the ninth.
Ryan Redmond came in as relief for the Pioneers to finish off the game. Jones secured a single and Stone came into pitch run stealing second. LeCroy flew out to left moving Stones to third where Nawrocki brought him home with an RBI single.
The Pioneers return to Founders Park to face the Gamecocks in game two of the series tomorrow at 2 p.m.
