Sacred Heart baseball had just one hit entering the bottom of the seventh inning of Saturday’s game against Notre Dame-Fairfield at Waterville Park.
The Hearts were being handcuffed by Lancer left-hander Rich Kerstetter, who struck out 11 in the first six innings.
Sacred Heart got to Kerstetter for two runs in the seventh when Jesse Swartout blasted a two-run double to left field. The tying run was at the plate with one out, but the Heart rally stalled and the Lancers left Waterville Park with a 4-2 win. Kerstetter got the last outs on a grounder to second and a strikeout, his 12th of the game.
Sacred Heart dropped to 1-3 with the loss. The three losses, however, have come by a total of four runs. The latest defeat came at the hands of the defending Class S state champions.
Cassidy Shahen came on in relief of starter Ernest McClary in the top of the sixth and kept the deficit at four runs. Shahen pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, gave up two hits and struck out two. McClary pitched the first 5 2/3 innings. He gave up four runs (three earned) on seven hits, struck out eight and walked two.
Gallery
Here are my photos from Saturday’s game.
