Baseball Sweeps Strikeout Cancer Tournament, MVP Honors

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. Seniors Keith Cantwell (Tinton Falls) and Matt Smedberg (Rockaway, N.J.) took home Most Valuable Pitcher and Most Valuable Player honors respectively during the Pirates three victories at the 2009 Rawlings Strike Out Cancer Tournament at Owen T. Carroll Field.  In addition, junior pitcher Sean Black (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) earned Honorable Mention.

Cantwell tossed a complete-game one-hit shutout against Northeastern on Saturday afternoon improving his 2009 record to 2-0.  Out of the 30 batters he faced, the New Jersey native struck out 12 and walked only two, allowing three runners on base all day.  The only hit surrendered was to Huskies’ left fielder Jeff Dunlap, who sent a pitch right back up the middle in the top of the fifth inning with one-out as the Pirates were holding a commanding, 6-0, lead.

Smedberg finished his MVP weekend 5-for-12 with a walk, two runs scored, and three RBI, including a run scored and an RBI in the Pirates comeback victory over Iona on Sunday.  With the team trailing, 2-0, in the bottom of the seventh inning, Smedberg led off with a single to right field, stole second base and came around to score on a single by sophomore Frank Esposito (Staten Island, N.Y.) cutting the Iona lead to 2-1.  Smedberg would drive in the trying run with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning.  The Pirates would eventually go on to win the game, 3-2, in the bottom of the tenth.

Black picked up his Honorable Mention for the tournament with a lights-out performance against NJIT Friday afternoon.  The former second round pick of the Washington Nationals tossed eight shutout innings allowing four hits striking out five of the 29 batters he faced.  The Pirates won the game, 7-0, and Black improved 2-1 on the season.

In addition to Black, the 2009 Rawlings Strike Out Cancer Tournament Honorable Mentions were as follows:

Matt Miller (Northeastern 2-1) 6-for-14, 3 walks, 1 run scored (Game-winning run in the 14 inning against NJIT Sunday afternoon), 3 RBI.

Mike Tamsin (Northeastern 2-1) 5-for-15, 2 walks, 1 run scored, 3 RBI (Game-winning RBI in the 14 inning against NJIT)

P.J. Saporito (NJIT 1-2) 9 inning pitched, 6 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts (1-0)

Chris Burke (Iona 0-3) 7.2 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts; 3-for-11, 1 run scored, 1 walk

Seton Hall Baseball and the American Cancer Society would like to thank all participants for their donations throughout the tournament.  Together, all three teams raised $1,600 through raffles, donations, and t-shirt sales, which will be donated to the American Cancer Society.  All fans are encouraged to help the Pirates Strike Out Cancer and continue to pledge per strikeout throughout the season by visiting the Seton Hall Athletics home page at www.shupirates.com.

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Baseball Sweeps Strikeout Cancer Tournament, MVP Honors

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