Baseball's Bats Come Alive To Defeat Connecticut, 9-5
4/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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STORRS, CONN. The Seton Hall Pirates baseball team scored nine runs on 17 hits to defeat BIG EAST rival Connecticut, 9-5, Friday afternoon. With the win, the Pirates have won 17 of their last 20 games overall and improve their conference record to 11-5.
The Pirates (24-13, 11-5) took an early, 1-0, lead in the top of the first inning with a two-out RBI single by junior Chris Affinito (East Brunswick, N.J.) scoring senior Mark Pappas (Ocean Township, N.J.) from second base. Pappas singled with one out and advanced to second base on fielding error by sophomore center fielder Harold Brantely.
In the top of the fourth inning, senior Dan Lopez (Weehawken, N.J.) gave the Pirates a, 4-0, advantage with a three-run home run over the left field wall, scoring sophomore Chris Spagnuolo (Tabernacle, N.J.) and junior Greg Miller (Shamong, N.J.) who reached base on back-to-back singles, however Connecticut freshman Mike Olt cut the lead to, 4-3, on a three-run home run of his own in the bottom half of the inning. For Miller it was his first home run of season.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Pirates picked up an insurance run with an RBI double by Miller plating Affinito from third base, however the Huskies again cut the lead to one in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single by freshman Elliot Glynn.
Ahead, 5-4, the Pirates broke the game open adding three runs in the top of the sixth inning and one in the top of the eighth inning. With two-outs, and two runners on in the sixth, Pappas scored on a throwing error by senior third baseman Pat Mahoney. After Spagnuolo hit an RBI single to put the Pirates ahead, 7-4, Affinito scored on a fielding error by freshman Pierre LePage. In the eighth, Miller connected for his second RBI base hit of the game giving the Pirates a, 9-4, lead.
Affinito and Miller each picked up four hits to lead the Pirates offensively. Affinito scored three runs and drove in one, while Miller scored one and drove in two. Spagnuolo finished his day 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, and Pappas went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Brantley was the only Huskie with multiple hits completing the day 3-for-4.
Freshman Joe DiRocco (East Hanover, N.J.) (3-1) earned the victory allowing three runs on six hits in six innings of work striking out seven, and sophomore Sean Black (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) picked up his second save of the year after surrendering a run on three hits in two innings striking out two. Junior John Folino (3-3) took the loss after pitching 5.2 innings yielding six runs on 12 hits.
The Pirates and Huskies (19-20, 6-10) will play game two of the three-game series Saturday afternoon in Connecticut. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
