Crawford, Noonan Lead Baseball Past Princeton, 11-7
5/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 9, 2001
PRINCETON, NJ - Junior third baseman Todd Crawford (Millersville, PA) drove in two runs including the game winner, and freshman lefthander Chris Noonan (Atlantic Highlands, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) earned his first career win in relief as Seton Hall defeated Princeton 11-7 on Wednesday at Clarke Field.
With the score tied at 7-7 in the top of the seventh, Seton Hall (27-20-1) loaded the bases to open the inning. Junior centerfielder Mike Bascom (Ocean Township, NJ) singled, sophomore leftfielder Casey Grimm (Morristown, NJ) was hit by a Tom Rowland (4-5) pitch and senior first baseman Brian Leighton (Brewster, NY) reached on an error while attempting to sacrifice. Crawford then lifted a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield, scoring Bascom with the deciding run. Senior catcher Adam Arslanian (Fair Lawn, NJ) then doubled down the leftfield line, putting the Pirates up 10-7. Junior shortstop Chris Carter (Fair Haven, NJ) plated Arslanian with the final run as he also doubled down the leftfield line with two out.
The Seton Hall rally enabled Chris Noonan (1-0) to pick up his first career win. Noonan entered the game in the bottom of the fifth inning with the score tied at 7-7. He pitched three scoreless innings of relief, giving up just two hits while striking out three. He retired seven straight batters from the fifth through the seventh inning.
Seton Hall jumped out to an early lead with five runs in the top of the first inning. Senior designated hitter Kevin Leighton (Brewster, NY) capped the inning with a two-out grand slam off Princeton starter Ryan Quillian.
After getting a run in the bottom of the first inning, Princeton scored four runs in the third and two in the fourth to open up a 7-6 lead. Senior centerfielder Mickey Martin had a bases-loaded triple in the bottom of the third. He later scored on a double by senior catcher Casey Hildreth. Senior first baseman Andrew Hanson and senior rightfielder Max Krance had RBI singles in the fourth inning to give the Tigers the lead.
Bascom, who singled to lead off the fifth inning, later scored on Crawford's groundout to shortstop to tie the game at 7-7.
Seton Hall finished with 13 hits as eight different players broke into the hit column. Six different players drove in runs. Bascom and Grimm paced the Pirates with three hits each.
Casey Hildreth, who went 3-for-5, led the Tigers at the plate.
Seton Hall returns to action on Saturday, May 12 when it hosts West Virginia in a BIG EAST doubleheader beginning at noon.
