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PITTSBURGH, PA.  — Seton Hall senior Matt Smedberg (Rockaway, N.J.) hit his first home run of the season and classmate Keith Cantwell (Tinton Falls, N.J.) (4-2) pitched into the eighth inning, however it was not enough as the Pirates allowed four-unearned runs including three in the eighth to fall to Pittsburgh, 5-2, Saturday afternoon.

The teams battled into the eighth inning tied at two, however Chris Sedon led off with a single, stole second base, and reached third base when Joe Leonard grounded out to short stop.  With a runner on third base and one-out, Danny Lopez hit a soft chopper down the third base line beating out an off-balanced throw from Pirates third baseman Sean Gusrang (Burlington, N.J.) scoring Sedon.  Lopez scored the Panther’s fourth run on an RBI double by Matt Litzinger, who came also came around to score on a Pirate fielding error when Cory Brownsten singled to left field.

Lopez began the scoring in the bottom of the second inning with a solo home run, however Smedberg stepped up in the visiting half of the fourth inning to hit a lead off solo home run to right field tying the game.

The Pirates (15-18, 6-8) took the lead in the top of the fifth inning.  Freshman Dave Phelan (Wharton, N.J.) led off with a triple to center field and came around to score when junior Chris Spagnuolo (Tabernacle, N.J.) grounded out to the right-side of the infield.

With the Pirates clinging to the one-run lead in the bottom of the fifth, the Panthers (19-13, 6-8) threatened when Morgan Kielty hit a two-out single off the first base bag and advanced to second base on a wild pitch, however Cantwell struck out Sedon on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.  The Panthers did the tie the game in the bottom of the seventh on a Zach Duggan RBI single.

Smedberg, Gusrang, sophomore A.J. Rusbarsky (Freehold, N.J.), Phelan, and Spagnuolo each had hits to lead the Pirates offense.

Corey Baker (5-2) shut down the Pirates offense throughout the day tossing a complete game five-hitter surrendering only two runs.  Cantwell lasted 7.2 innings allowing four earned runs while striking out six batters.

The Pirates and Panthers will complete the three-game series tomorrow afternoon First pitch is scheduled for noon.