Baseball Allowed Eight Unanswered Runs; Loses To NYIT, 8-6

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OLD WESTBURY, N.Y.   The Seton Hall baseball team allowed eight unanswered runs and fell to NYIT, 8-6, Tuesday afternoon in Old Westbury, N.Y. Despite the loss, the Pirates have won 13 of their last 16 games and enter this weekend’s BIG EAST conference series 25-15 overall.

The Pirates took an early, 2-0, lead in the top of the first inning when junior Chris Affinito (East Brunswick, N.J.) and sophomore Chris Spagnuolo (Tabernacle, N.J.) hit back-to-back RBI singles. 

The Hall would add four runs to their lead in the top of the second inning.  After junior Matt Smedberg (Rockaway, N.J.) hit an RBI triple down the right field line, senior Mark Pappas (Ocean Township, N.J.) and Affinito hit back-to-back home runs over the left field fence to give the Pirates a, 6-0, advantage.

The score remained the same until the bottom of the fourth inning when Bears junior Joe Lucente hit a sacrifice-fly with bases loaded, and sophomore Christian Dienna followed with an RBI single.  The Bears again added two runs on a two-run double by sophomore Mike Laluna to cut the lead to, 6-4.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Bears (12-19-1) took the lead with four runs on five hits.  Sophomores Jerry Smith and Brian Smith each hit RBI singles before Laluna added a two-run single to center field to give the Bears an, 8-6, lead.

For the Pirates, Rusbarsky, Smedberg, and Affinito each had two hits, with Rusbarsky scoring two runs, Smedberg scoring one run and driving in another, and Affinito driving in two runs while scoring one.  Laluna led the Bears finishing the day 3-for-3 with a run scored and three RBI.

Freshman Michael Boggi (Towaco, N.J.) (0-1) took the loss after allowing four runs on four hits in 1.1 innings of relief.  Sophomore Louie Bernardi (2-2) picked up the win after surrendering six runs, five earned, on nine hits in six innings.  Junior Matt Doran earned his second save of the season tossing three perfect innings with three strikeouts.

The Pirates and Bears will meet again this season on Tuesday, May 6 in South Orange, N.J.

The Pirates return to Owen T. Carroll Field Wednesday afternoon when they take on Fairleigh Dickinson.  First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.