Box Score

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team hammered a season-high 21 hits en route to a 13-8 victory over Sacred Heart on Saturday afternoon at the Harbor Yard.
 
In the win, the Knights (9-17, 7-4 NEC) overcame a 5-0 deficit by exploding for seven runs on six hits in the fourth inning, which resulted in a lead that they would not relinquish.
 
The 21 hits are the most in a game by the Knights since they amassed 24 last season against Coppin State back on April 13, 2016.
 
Seniors Matt McCann and Ryan Brennan led the charge with four hits apiece, and the duo filled up the box score with a combined seven RBI and six runs scored. Brennan knocked in four -- including his 100th career RBI -- scored two and launched his fifth home run of the season, while McCann crossed the plate four times, knocked in three runs and stole his 14^th bag of the year.
 
The Pioneers (11-23, 5-4 NEC) jumped on top with five runs in the first three innings highlighted by P.J. DeFilippo's bases-clearing three-run double in the second.
 
After tallying one hit in each of the three innings without scoring, the Knights busted loose in the top of the fourth. Owen Vonesslinger got things going with a single to center and Jorge Iza walked, however, things looked bleak after Jason Fatzinger was retired for the second out of the inning.
 
But with two away, the Knights went to work with four straight singles as Hunter Reeser, Mike Veit, McCann and Bobby Romano each delivered knocks to make it a one-run game. After Brennan drew a walk, Evan McDonald stepped in for the second time in the inning and laced a bases-loaded, three-run double to left-center field, which capped the two-out rally and gave the Knights a 7-5 lead.
 
Protecting the lead, FDU starter Corey Zeller retired the Pioneers in order for a perfect fourth inning.
 
Facing two outs in the fifth, the timely hitting continued as the Knights tacked on three more runs with McCann knocking in one and Brennan plating a pair with a single.
 
The Pioneers pulled to within three, 10-7, with two runs in the sixth but the Knights immediately erased them with two of their own in the seventh thanks to Brennan's two-run homer.
 
Zeller earned the victory – his second of the season – and finished with a final line of five innings, seven runs (six earned) on six hits, four walks and four strikeouts.
 
The sophomore right-hander was replaced by Jake Sciarrotta, who pitched a scoreless sixth. The Knights' bullpen of Sciarotta, James Sharkey and Brennan combined to toss four scoreless frames and close out the win.
 
In addition to the aforementioned four-hit efforts by Brennan and McCann, Vonesslinger, Reeser and Veit all finished with three knocks and Romano went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI in the victory.
 
Next up for the Knights are back-to-back non-conference home games against Delaware State on Tuesday, April 18 and Saint Peter's on Wednesday, April 19.