Box Score - Game 1 (html)
Box Score - Game 1 (pdf)
Box Score - Game 2 (html)
Box Score - Game 2 (pdf)
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. — Seton Hall junior Michael Rogers (Portland, Ore.) scored on a failed pick-off attempt in the bottom of the 13th inning as the Pirates overcame a five run deficit in game two of a double header to defeat St. John’s, 8-7 after falling in game one, 4-1, Saturday afternoon at Owen T. Carroll Field.
Prior to the first game this afternoon, the Seton Hall community honored five seniors who have played in their final game at Owen T. Carroll Field. Chris Affinito (East Brunswick, N.J.), Keith Cantwell (Tinton Falls, N.J.), Tim McCann (Manasquan, N.J.), Matt Smedberg (Rockaway, N.J.), and Jon Stoessel (Pittsburgh, Pa.).
In a seven-inning game one, the Pirates brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning by way of a Smedberg infield single and a hit batsman, however Ryan Cole was summoned from the bullpen forcing a double play groundball to second base and a second groundball to third base ending the game
Tim Morris put St. John’s (27-16, 14-7) on the board with two-outs in the first inning when he scored from third base on a Pirate fielding error.
The Hall (21-21, 10-11) threatened in the bottom of the third inning, however could not tie the game. It began with lead off walks to Smedberg and Affinito, however Red Storm starter Bruce Kern induced a double play groundout to sophomore Sean Gusrang (Burlington, N.J) and struck out freshman Charlie Rivera (Hazlet, N.J.) to end the inning.
St. John’s fed off the momentum when Paul Karmas led off the top of the fourth with a double. After Cantwell got the next two outs on a sacrifice bunt and a line out to second base, Carlos Del Rosario drove home Karmas with a single up the middle and Joe Witkowski plated Del Rosario with a triple to right field.
After a run-scoring double by Morris in the top of the fifth gave St. John’s a, 4-0, lead, the Pirates cut the deficit to, 4-1, when freshman Will Walsh (New Milford, N.J.) hit an RBI single to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Sophomore Frank Esposito (Staten Island, N.Y.) led off the home half of the sixth with a walk and stole second base before scoring on Walsh’s one-out single.
Walsh finished the game 2-for-3 with an RBI to lead the Pirates offense.
Cantwell (5-3) took the loss despite throwing a complete game allowing only three earned runs and striking out three. Kern (4-2) picked up the victory after surrendering only one run on six hits in 5.1 innings. Cole earned his fifth save of the season.
In game two, following a Karmas RBI double in the top of the ninth, the Pirates trailed, 7-6, entering the bottom half when Rusbarsky led off the with a single and moved to second base on a successful sacrifice bunt by Gusrang. With two-outs, Rivera delivered the game-tying hit sending the game into extra-innings, when Rogers scored on a failed pick-off attempt with bases loaded in the bottom of the 13th.
Affinito led off the 13th with a walk, and was pinch-run for by Rogers. Rusbarksy successfully moved Rogers to second base with a sacrifice bunt, and Gusrang and Esposito followed with walks to load the bases. Red Storm reliever Steve Forester attempted a pick off of Rogers at third base overthrowing third baseman Panik and allowing Rogers to score the winning run.
In the beginning of the game, St. John’s again jumped out to a lead in the first inning. Following three straight one-out singles, Panik hit a two-run single through the right side of the infield for a, 2-0, lead. The Red Storm added three more in the top of the second inning with run scoring singles by Parque and Karmas and an RBI fielder’s choice by Panik.
Trailing, 5-0, in the bottom of the second inning, the Pirates cut into the deficit when sophomore A.J. Rusbarsky (Freehold, N.J.) scored from third base on a one-out fielder’s choice groundball by freshman Michael Betz (Mine-Hill, N.J.).
After Danny Benedetti put St. John’s ahead by five again with a sacrifice-fly to right field in the top of the fifth inning, the Pirates came right back with three runs of their own on three hits in the bottom half.
Following singles by freshman Bobby Migliazza (Stamford, Conn.) and junior Chris Fontenelli (Toms River, N.J.), Smedberg came through with an RBI double for the Pirates second run of the game. Affinito hit a groundball to shortstop plating Fontenelli, and Rusbarsky hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Smedberg to pull the Pirates within two – a deficit they would erase in the next inning.
With Esposito on second base and two-outs, the Pirates picked up three-straight singles including an RBI single by Walsh and an RBI infield single by Smedberg.
Smedberg led the way in game two going 5-for-6 with a run scored and two RBI, while Fontenelli and Rusbarsky picked up two hits each.
Pirates reliever Matt Singer (Bayonne, N.J.) (5-2) earned the victory tossing five scoreless relief innings striking out five. Forester (0-1) took the loss after 1.1 innings of work striking out two.
The Pirates will take the next week off due to finals and return to the field when they travel to Piscataway, N.J. for a three-game series again in-state rival Rutgers. The series will open with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for noon, and conclude with one game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
Courtesy: Seton Hall Athletic Communications
