LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. – The Sacred Heart University baseball team split a double header at Siena on Friday dropping game one 4-3 and winning game two 14-12.
 
Records
SHU: 12-12 (7-4 MAAC)
Siena: 6-18 (3-5 MAAC)
 
GAME 1
Pitching
Joey Trombley (L, 1-4): 6.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 4 SO
Ryan Redmond: 0.0 IP
Lou Stallone: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 SO
 
Hitting
Chuck Tallman: 2 H
Tim McGuire: 1 H, 2 RBI, 1 2B
 
How it Happened:
The Saints built a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, stringing together four singles to bring in the game's first run. 
 
Following scoreless second and third innings, the Pioneers took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth. Dante D'Amore and Peter Link started the frame with singles before Steak Newman advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt. Tim McGuire brought in both runners with a double down the left-field line. 
 
Siena tied the game at 2-2 with a run in the bottom of the fifth. 
 
The Pios answered with a run at the top of the seventh to retake the advantage, 3-2. Back-to-back singles put runners on the corner for SHU, as Alex Ungar plated Zack Kovalchik from third with a sac-fly to right center. 
 
Unfortunately for Sacred Heart, Siena took advantage of some command issues to retake the lead in the bottom of the seventh. The Saints hit a solo homer with one out to tie the game at 3-3, while three walks and a hit batter gave the home team a 4-3 lead. 
 
SHU put runners on in both the eighth and ninth innings but were held scoreless, as Siena held on to take the series-opening wins.
 
GAME 2
Pitching
Elijah Foster (W, 5-1): 6.0 IP, 1 R (1 ER), 2 H, 2 BB, 4 SO
Mitch Hawkins: 2.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 SO
Jonathan Peterson: 1.0 IP, 1 R (1 ER), 2 H
 
Hitting
Zack Kovalchik: 3 H, 3 RBI, 1 2B
Gavin Donohue: 3 H, 1 RBI
Peter Link: 2 H, 4 RBI,1 2B, 1 HR
 
How it Happened:
The Pioneers started off strong in game two scoring six runs in the top of the first. With bases loaded and one out, Peter Link reached on a throwing error by third base plating Gavin Donohue. Immediately following, JW Fitzgerald grounded out to third to plate Tim McGuire. Chuck Tallman walked, reloading the bases. Then Joe Cilea hit a single to center field to plate Dante D'Amore and Link. Without blinking, Kovalchik hit a two RBI double to secure the 6-0 early lead.
 
Siena did not respond until the fourth with a solo homer to left center, to secure the Saints' first hit of the game.
 
Link began a four-run inning in the seventh with a double, plating McGuire before scoring on a wild pitch. Fitzgerald followed in Link's footsteps by also scoring on a wild pitch. 
 
Kovalchik and G. Donohue secured back-to-back RBI singles for the 11-1 lead.
 
The Pioneers did not let off the gas as Link then hit a two-run homer in the eighth and Kovalchik scoring on a fielding error in the ninth.
 
The Saints' one run in the ninth fell a bit short as the Pios took the game 14-2. 
 
Up Next:
The Pios will face Siena either tomorrow or Sunday dependent on weather.