BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University baseball team swept Iona in a double header in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action Friday afternoon to take the series win. The Pios won game one 7-1 and gave the Gaels a run for their money in the second with a thrilling comeback win, 11-7.
 
Records
SHU: 22-23 (14-12 MAAC)
Siena: 14-30 (8-15 MAAC)
 
Game 1
Pitching
Joey Trombley (W, 4-6): 8.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R (1 ER), 4 BB, 4 SO
Lou Stallone: 1.0 IP, 2 H
 
Hitting
Zack Kovalchik: 2 H, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 2B
Tim McGuire: 2 H, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B
Gavin Donohue: 2 H, 1 R
 
How it Happened
The Pioneers came out swinging in game one of the doubleheader, setting the tone early. Tim McGuire got things rolling in the first, knocking a single to shortstop to bring home Ronan Donohue for the game's opening run.
 
The Gaels quickly answered back with an RBI single to left field to even the score at 1-1.
 
Sacred Heart responded in the fourth inning with hot bats. Joe Cilea roped a deep shot to left center for a triple. Moments later, R. Donohue delivered again, sending a sharp single to left center to bring Cilea home and reclaim the lead.
 
In the sixth, the Pioneers executed small ball to perfection. Zack Kovalchik reached first on a perfectly placed bunt down the third base line. JW Fitzgerald followed with a textbook sacrifice bunt to advance Kovalchik into scoring position. Cilea came through again, lifting a sac fly to left field to plate Kovalchik and extend SHU's lead to 3-1.

The Pioneers broke the game wide open in the seventh. With one out, Alex Ungar smashed a double to left field to ignite the rally. With the bases loaded, Dante D'Amore delivered a clutch double to left center, scoring Ungar and McGuire to make it 5-1. A pitching change didn't slow SHU's momentum as Kovalchik capped the inning with a two-RBI double to left, bringing home D'Amore and Gavin Donohue.
 
On the mound, Joey Trombley was dominate, tossing eight strong innings. He allowed just one earned run on six hits and struck out four to lock up the win for Sacred Heart.
 
Game 1
Pitching
Elijah Foster: 6.0 IP, 4 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 6 SO
Ryan Redmond: 0.0 IP, 1 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB
Charlie Costello (W, 1-2): 3.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO
 
Hitting
Alex Ungar: 2 H, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR
Dante D'Amore: 2 H, 1 R
Ronan Donohue: 2 H, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 3B
Gavin Donohue: 1 H, 1 R, 3 RBI
 
How it Happened
Game two of the doubleheader started much like the first but this time, the early momentum belonged to Iona. The Gaels got on the board in the third with a solo home run to right field to take a 1-0 lead.
 
The Pioneers answered in the bottom half of the inning. Gavin Donohue lifted a sacrifice fly to bring in his brother, Ronan Donohue, and tie the game at 1-1. SHU nearly took the lead moments later when Dante D'Amore crushed a deep shot to center, but a leaping grab at the wall robbed him of extra bases.
 
From there, Iona's bats came alive. The Gaels added six runs across the next four innings, capitalizing on defensive miscues to build a 7-1 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
 
SHU showed true grit, not settling for the loss.
 
The comeback began with R. Donohue's one-out double to right center. Alex Ungar drew a walk, and Tim McGuire followed with a double to left center, scoring R. Donohue. G. Donohue then came through with a clutch two-RBI single up the right side, suddenly bringing SHU within three.
 
With the bases loaded and just one out, Steak Newman came up big roping a single up the middle to plate D'Amore and Kovalchik. Dave Yorke delivered the go-ahead blow, ripping a two-RBI single up the right side to score Newman and Kovalchik, and advanced to third on an error in right.
 
Tied no more, Drew Martin added the exclamation point with a sac fly to bring in Yorke and give Sacred Heart a 9-7 lead.
 
Still not satisfied, R. Donohue tripled to right center and was brought home by Ungar, who launched a towering shot to left center to seal the deal with an 11-7 lead.
 
The Pioneers scored 10 runs in the seventh inning to complete one of the most thrilling comebacks of the season and finish off the doubleheader sweep in style.
 
Up Next
The Pioneers will face Iona for game three tomorrow, May 3, at noon.