BOX SCORE (.html)
BOX SCORE (.pdf)
LOUISVILLE, KY. - Sophomore Dillon Hamlin (Colts Neck, N.J.) went 3-for-4 with two RBIs as the Seton Hall baseball team held on to upset #19 Louisville, 3-2, in Kentucky on Friday.
Junior Jon Prosinski (Skillman, N.J.) started on the mound and was impressive once again, holding the BIG EAST's top-ranked offense to just one earned run over six and two thirds of an inning, while striking out four and not walking a batter. The performance improves Prosinski to 5-2 and lowers his ERA to 2.36. The ace has now given up just three earned runs over his last 38.2 innings pitched.
Louisville (24-10, 7-3) grabbed an early 1-0 lead as the first two Cardinals reached base to begin the game and slugger Stewart Ijames singled home his team-leading 39th RBI of the season.
Jon Prosinski would settle down however, after the first inning, and retire 12 straight batters.
The Pirates tied the game at one in the top of the third inning. Hamlin and D.J. Ruhlman (Belle Mead, N.J.) both reached base to start the inning and an RBI single by Mike Genovese (Livingston, N.J.) scored the equalizer for Seton Hall.
An inning later, freshman Sal Annunziata (Bronx, N.Y.) delivered a one-out double to left center and Hamlin shot an RBI single down the first base line to give the Pirates the lead, 2-1.
Annunziata gave Louisville fits all evening. The big first baseman reached base all four times and was 2-for-2 with a double, a run scored, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
Seton Hall (18-15, 6-4) would tack on an important insurance run in the top of the sixth inning when Hamlin singled down the first base line scoring Ryan Sullivan (Stony Point, N.Y.) from second to make the score 3-1.
Although Hamlin is batting just .219 on the season, he is belting a team-leading .450 in eight BIG EAST games thus far.
After the Cardinals plated an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs, Rick Mangione (Orange, Conn.) was brought on in relief of Prosinski. The left-hander promptly struck out the final batter of the inning and ended the Louisville threat.
The final two Pirates' relievers also pitched incredibly well. George Fernandez (Union, N.J.) came on in relief of Mangione in the bottom of the eighth and got the final two outs, while Benny Mejia (Paterson, N.J.) pitched around a leadoff hit to preserve the lead in the ninth and earn his third save of the season.
The loss drops Louisville to 18-5 at home this season.
Seton Hall will return to the diamond tomorrow when face Louisville for game two of this series. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
