The Sacred Heart Club Baseball team opened up its fall season over the weekend versus cross-town rival Fairfield University at Veterans Memorial Park in Bridgeport, CT.
 
In Game One of the doubleheader the Pioneers watched the game slip away early and couldn't recover in a 9-6 loss. Junior captain Michael Moran took the ball for the Pioneers and was unable to escape the second inning. The righty surrendered eight runs on four hits with two strikeouts while only allowing one walk. He was relieved by junior lefty Thomas Parrish who pitched excellent out of the bullpen. Parrish was followed up by freshman Claude Morales and Sophomore Pietro Tripodi.
 
Offensively the Pioneers were unable to get the big hit when it mattered stranding the bases loaded with less than two outs in three innings. Senior captain Lance Jarosz lead the Pioneers with two hits while senior captain Brandon Woods, juniors Christian Campo, Joey Portanova, and Michael Giardina all accounted for a hit of their own.
 
Game Two of the doubleheader looked to be a pitchers duel early on but an unfortunate injury to freshman starter Trevin Rieger forced the Pioneers to dip into their bullpen early. One blow after another struck the Pioneers as junior lefty Nick Zingales had to be removed from the game without recording a single out due to his own injury. Freshman Chris Tobin stepped up and pitched lights out for the Pioneers going two and two thirds innings allowing two runs on one hit with four strikeouts. The two runs were unearned giving Tobin a 0.00 ERA on the season.
 
Offensively the Pioneers were unable to get much going in the box and struggled to get runners on base. Senior captain Brandon Woods, junior captain Cam Thibeault, and junior Luke Manziano recorded the only hits of the games for the Pioneers. The Pioneers dropped game two by a score of 11-1.
 
The Pioneers fall to 0-2 on the early season but look ahead to a three game non-conference series versus in state foe Central Connecticut. The Blue Devils will host the Pioneers for a doubleheader on Central's campus starting at 8am with the second game to follow shortly after the completion of game one. Sunday's series finale will start at approximately 10am.