Blackbirds Dealt Defeat by Sacred Heart in Series Opener

(Box Score)

4/20/07 -- A four-run first inning by Sacred Heart was a sign of things to come for the Long Island University baseball team as it opened a four-game Northeast Conference series with a 10-0 loss to the Pioneers. Freshman starting pitcher James Jones (Brooklyn, N.Y.) gave up six runs (four earned) in just two innings of work. Third baseman Gerard Tingos (Staten Island, N.Y.) had two of the Blackbirds’ six hits in the loss.

With one out and runners on second and third in the first inning, Jones unfurled a wild pitch to score Sacred Heart’s first run. After a walk, Jones threw another wild pitch to plate another run for the Pioneers. Two batters later, Rob Tencza drove in two runs to put Long Island (7-21, 2-6 NEC) in a 4-0 hole. Jones allowed two more runs in the second on a passed ball and a sacrifice fly.

Sacred Heart (14-17, 5-3) scored a run in each of the next four innings to extend its lead to double-digits and put the game out of reach for the Blackbirds. The Pioneers scored in each of the first six innings before freshman reliever Jesse Johnson (Dingmans Ferry, Pa.) came in and threw two innings of no-hit ball.

The teams will resume their series on Saturday, April 21, with a doubleheader that is slated to start at noon.