KINGSTON, RI - The Sacred Heart University NCBA D2 Club Baseball team opened the 2026-27 road slate with a dominating doubleheader sweep against the Rhode Island Rams on a breezy Saturday afternoon at Bill Beck Field. 

IMPACT PLAYERS 

Mike Marano - 4 for 8 (.500 BA), 2B, 3 RBI
Gabe Santarcangelo - 4 for 6 (.667 BA), 2 SB, RBI
Nickolas Portanova - 5.0 IP, 2-0, CG,2H, 2BB, 8K
Braden Golden - 4.0 IP, 2-0, 2H, 2R, 4K

HOW IT HAPPENED

GAME ONE 

It was all Pioneers in this one and to start it off it was Gabe Santarcangelo getting an RBI walk to make it 1-0 early. Then Jimmy Kennedy lined a 2 RBI single to left field to give the Pios a three run cushion. In the 2nd, Lj Renshaw had an RBI groundout to make it 4-0 Pioneers. In the 3rd it was Dylan Casani dumping a two-run double into center, Nicholas Scerbak adding an RBI single, Mike Marano singling to center and Renshaw doubling to pad the lead to nine.

Sacred Heart put on one more run in thr 4th thanks to a Dermot McSpedon RBI single to give the Pios a 10-0 victory in Game One. Nickolas Portanova went five innings strong allowing only two hits to the Rams offense. He finished with a game-leading eight strikeouts on the afternoon in the win.

GAME TWO 

It was more of the same for the Pioneers in the day's second game. Fast forward to the 3rd inning, down to 2-0 Scerbak started the Pio scoring action with a run scoring triple to cut the Rams lead in half.  In the 5th, Nicholas Scerbak again getting another run home to tie it up at two then Lj Renshaw adding a RBI single to give the visiting side a key 3-2 lead. Dylan Casani lined a triple to right to make it 4-2 SHU. 

In the 7^th and final inning, the Pioneers scored a program-record 13 runs. 

RUN BY RUN

Mike Marano RBI Walk - 5-2
Gabe Santarcangelo RBI Single - 6-2
Brian McGovern RBI Single - 7-2
Dylan Casani RBI Walk - 8-2 
Nicholas Scerbak RBI Groundout - 9-2
Dermot McSpedon 2 RBI FC - 11-2
Lj Renshaw RBI Double - 13-2
Anthony Keenan RBI Single - 14-2
Dylan Casani RBI Walk - 15-2
Nicholas Scerbak RBI Single - 16-2
Dermot McSpedon RBI Single- 17-2

The Rams added a run in the bottom of the 7^th but SHU held on to win 17-3 in Game 2.

UP NEXT 

The Pios will see the URI Rams for the series finale Sunday at 10AM.