FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University softball team split its home-opening doubleheader against Brown on Saturday, Mar. 15, at Pioneer Park. SHU suffered a 3-0 loss in the opener before taking a convincing 12-7 win in the nightcap.
Team Records
Sacred Heart (7-10)
Brown (8-6)
Game 1: Brown 3, SHU 0
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 8 strikeouts, 3-5 record)
Alexis Guevara (Brown) - (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 8 strikeouts, 4-2 record)
Top Performers:
Charlene Davis– 2-3
Elle Leckrone – 2-3
Of Note:
The Pioneers opened game one with hits in the first two innings, tallying two in the third. Unfortunately for the Pios, they did not bring a run across as Brown scored the first run of the game in the top of the third.
Brown added to its lead in the top of the sixth, plating two runs on a hit an error.
Trailing 3-0, Sacred Heart tallied two more hits in the bottom of the sixth to threaten, but the Bears held off the chance, taking the game 3-0.
Despite taking the loss,
Sam Kowalski pitched a gem for SHU. The junior threw all 7.0 innings without giving up an earned run with eight strikeouts.
Game 2: SHU 12, Brown 7
Pitchers:
Emily Heath (SHU) - (W, 6.1innings pitched, 7 earned runs, 3 strikeouts, 2-4 record)
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (0.2 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 1 strikeout)
Macy Borowski (Brown) - (L, 2.1 innings pitched, 5 earned runs, 2 strikeouts, 3-3 record)
Edie Cobb (Brown) - (2.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs)
Annie Finch (Brown) - (1.2 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 2 strikeouts)
Top Performers:
Nicole Henke – 2-4, 6 RBIs, 2 runs, 1 home run, 1 double
Morgan Teodosio – 2-4, 2 RBIs, 1 run
Of Note:
The Pioneers started scoring in game two at the bottom of the second inning when
Nicole Henke blasted a no-out three-run homer. The junior tallied her third homer of the season to drive Kowalski and
Charlene Davis home.
Henke continued her outstanding game with three more RBIs in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded, the shortstop sent a double down the left field line to bring Kowalski, Davis and
Elle Leckrone home to make it a 6-0 game. Henke became the first Pioneer to tally six RBIs in a game since Courtney Lee had seven in 2011 against Colorado State.
The Bears answered with five runs in the fourth to make it a 6-5 game.
SHU's offense came back to life in the five, as five more runs gave them an 11-5 lead.
Morgan Teodosio,
Cierra Bender,
Savannah Moore and Kowalski all tallied RBIs in the frame for the Pioneers.
The Pios added a run in the sixth and Brown scored two in the seventh, but game two was well in hand for SHU. After all of the late run production, Sacred Heart walked away with a 12-7 victory, its first at home this season.
Emily Heath earned the start in the circle for SHU, taking the win after 6.1 innings. Kowalski entered in relief and got the final two outs of the game.
Up Next
The Pioneers are back at home on Thursday, Mar. 20, for a doubleheader against FDU, beginning at 2 p.m.
