Offense Breaks Out, Baseball Holds On Over Iona, 11-8
3/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The Seton Hall baseball team belted 13 hits and scored 11 runs to defeat Iona, 11-8, Friday afternoon in their first of three games this weekend during the Rawlings Strike Out Cancer Tournament. With the win, the Pirates improved to 6-8 overall.
Seton Hall broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning by scoring three runs. It began when Michael Betz (Mini-Hill, N.J.) reached base when he was hit by a pitch. Giuseppe Papaccio (Nutley, N.J.) successfully bunted Betz to second base and Ryan Sullivan (Stony Point, N.Y.) singled through the left side giving the Pirates runners on first and third with one-out. Connor Delapine (Middletown, N.J.) ripped a two-run triple for a, 2-0, lead, and scored on a sacrifice-fly by Scott Kalamar (Bethlehem, Pa.).
The Hall doubled their lead in the fifth inning with an RBI triple by A.J. Rusbarsky (Freehold, N.J.) and run-scoring singles by Betz and Sullivan.
After Iona (4-8) cut their deficit to, 6-1, in the top of the sixth, the Pirates bounced back in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run double by Betz and an RBI double by Papaccio. When pinch-hitter Chase Gray (Toms River, N.J.) hit an RBI single in the seventh to give the Pirates a 10-1, lead, the Gaels began their comeback.
In the top of the eighth, Iona scored four runs highlighted by RBI base hits from James Beck, Chris Griffin, and Kyle Charron. Delapine hit a sacrifice-fly in the bottom of the eighth for the Pirates 11th run before Iona came back with three in the ninth.
After Dean Dignelli hit a two-run triple and came around to score on a sacrifice-fly off the bat of Beck, the Pirates summoned Collin McGowan (Stratford, N.J.) from the bullpen who induced Chris Sand to ground into a game-ending fielder's choice. It was McGowan's first save of the season.
Joe DiRocco (East Hanover, N.J.) (3-1) picked up his team-high third win after tossing six innings allowing one run on two hits striking out four. Brian Callahan (1-2) surrendered six runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings.
Papaccio finished the game with three hits, while Betz scored four runs and drove in three more to lead the Pirates offense.
The Pirates return to Owen T. Carroll Field Wednesday afternoon when they welcome Manhattan. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
