FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Interstat) — Peter Link homered twice and drove in four runs, and Sacred Heart erupted for eight runs in the sixth inning to overcome a three-run deficit and defeat Fairfield 12-7 in the first game of a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader Friday.

The Pioneers improved to 15-28 overall and 7-12 in the MAAC. The Stags dropped to 26-21 and 13-5.

Link, the Pioneers’ center fielder, finished with three hits and a stolen base. Matthew Bucciero homered twice for Fairfield, a two-run shot in the first and a two-run blast in the sixth, and drove in four runs. TJ Schmalzle had four hits and scored three times for the Stags.

Fairfield struck first in the top of the first inning when Schmalzle singled but was picked off. Bucciero then homered to center field, scoring the game’s first run. The Stags added three more in the third, capitalizing on two Sacred Heart errors. Schmalzle singled and scored on a single by JP Kuczik, then another error loaded the bases, and Jake Haarde singled in a run. A walk to Luke Spencer forced in another, giving Fairfield a 4-0 lead.

Sacred Heart responded in the bottom of the first when Link homered to left. The Pioneers stranded a runner on second, and the score remained 4-1 through two innings.

The Stags extended the lead in the fourth. Schmalzle tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Bucciero. Fairfield went up 5-1 after four innings.

Sacred Heart chipped away in the fifth. Gavin Donohue doubled and reached third on an error by third baseman Zach Stephenson. Ronan Donohue’s sacrifice fly scored one, and after two stolen bases by CJ Nolan, Daniel Rice III singled in another, cutting the deficit to 5-3. The runs were unearned.

Bucciero answered in the top of the sixth with his second home run, a two-run shot that scored Schmalzle and made it 7-4.

The bottom of the sixth turned the game. Ben Alekson started for Fairfield and was replaced by Nick Kelly after two innings, then by Will Youngman and later Joseph Chambers. The inning began with Link hit by a pitch, and back-to-back walks loaded the bases. Gavin Donohue and Nolan were hit by pitches, forcing in two runs to tie the score at 7. Ronan Donohue was then hit by a pitch to force in the go-ahead run.

Will Rudolph cleared the bases with a double down the right-field line, scoring three to make it 10-7. Rice III followed with an RBI double, scoring Rudolph. After a strikeout, Link singled home Rice III, stole second and scored on a single by Gavin Donohue that went as an RBI and an error on the left fielder. When the inning ended, Sacred Heart led 12-7.

Fairfield managed only two baserunners over the final three innings. Schmalzle walked in the eighth but was caught stealing, and the Stags went quietly in the ninth against Sacred Heart reliever PJ Rogan, who pitched the final three innings for his first save. Rogan allowed one hit and one walk while striking out two.

Bucciero and Schmalzle combined for seven of Fairfield’s 11 hits. Sacred Heart finished with 15 hits, led by Link’s three and two each from Rudolph, Rice III and Gavin Donohue.

The doubleheader’s second game was scheduled to follow later Friday. Both teams were set to meet again Saturday in the series finale.