The baseball team is off to a slow start, but after a competitive series win over Quinnipiac University and a hard-fought weekend at Bryant University, the Pioneers are showing flashes of hope.
Sacred Heart took the first two games of its three game MAAC series at Quinnipiac, winning 9-8 on March 13 behind a ninth-inning home run from sophomore Dave Yorke and 11-4 on March 14 behind a strong offensive showing, led by senior Will Cook. The Pioneers lost 10-2 in their third game of the series on March 15.
Two days later, the Pioneers traveled up to Chestnut Hill, Mass. for a non-conference matchup against Boston College, where they lost 5-4.
A weekend at Bryant University saw the skid continue, as the Bulldogs took all three of the nonconference games. The Pioneers lost 11-1 on March 20, 6-2 in the first game of Saturday’s double header, and 14-11 in the second game. Sacred Heart now sits at 4-16 overall and 3-3 in conference play, with the first home series of the season beginning Friday, March 27 against MAAC opponent Mount St. Mary’s University.
Source: Instagram, @sacredheartbsb
The team’s early season schedule was difficult, facing teams such as East Tennessee State University and North Carolina State University, but head coach Pat Egan believes the team is beginning to turn a corner.
“We definitely didn’t get off to the start that we wanted to,” said Egan. “Sometimes when you’re not playing your best ball, especially at this level, guys start to put too much pressure on themselves. I think that was the case early on.”
The numbers back up the slow start. Entering the Bryant series, Sacred Heart’s team batting average was a mere .208 and the team endured a 10-game losing streak early in the year.
Still, the offense broke through against Quinnipiac, scoring at least nine runs in back-to-back games. The Pioneers are 3-2 this season when scoring six or more runs.
Egan said the offensive jump was less about major changes and more about trust.
“There wasn’t a ton that we changed,” said Egan. “The messaging kind of stayed the same. It was just a matter of time before guys kind of started to feel better at the plate.”
Yorke echoed that message, saying the Quinnipiac series showed what the lineup is capable of when it sticks to the plan.
“I think it was just staying in the work and being able to see the results on the field,” said Yorke.
Yorke said the series was important for the team’s confidence after such a difficult opening month.
“It was a big step to build off,” said Yorke. “There were a lot of ups and still some things that need work on, but the confidence that can build off a performance like that is a huge step forward in the season.”
Even in the Bryant losses, Sacred Heart showed flashes of success. First year Ryan Rey went 3-for-4 with three RBIs in Saturday’s 14-11 loss, while graduate student Kyle Cincinnati and sophomore CJ Nolan also had multi-hit games in an offensive effort that had two five run innings.
Egan said defining the team’s identity remains a work in progress because of the roster turnover, but he likes the direction the group is moving in.
“We have 18 new players, nine freshmen and nine transfers, so there’s a lot of new players,” said Egan. “But when we’re playing good baseball, it’s a fun team to be around.”
For Yorke, the goal remains unchanged despite the slow start.
“Success looks like us being the last team in the MAAC standing,” said Yorke. “You can’t say it was a total success unless you’re holding the trophy.”
Athletic Communications contributed to this article
