Late Home Runs Doom Baseball At Notre Dame, 5-4
5/1/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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NOTRE DAME, IND. - The Seton Hall baseball team wasted a strong outing from freshman right-hander Brian Gilbert (Toms River, N.J.) as they fell to conference-rival Notre Dame, 5-4, in the rubber match Sunday afternoon at Frank Eck Stadium.
Gilbert lasted 7.2 innings surrendering three runs on eight hits while striking out one. His only blemish was a two-run home run off the bat of Adam Norton in the seventh, but he was also charged with the third run on the eventual game-winning three-run home run by Trey Mancini in the eighth.
The Seton Hall (20-21, 7-11) offense spotted the freshman a three-run lead and a two-run lead while the defense picked off a runner on second base and turned two double plays, but it would not be enough.
Norton cut into the Fighting Irish's three-run deficit with a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The right-hander would finish the frame by inducing left-handed pinch-hitter David Casey to ground out, and Frank Esposito (Staten Island, N.Y.) gave the Pirates an insurance run with a two-out run-scoring single in the top of the eighth, however Notre Dame (16-21-1, 7-10) completed the comeback in their half of the eighth to win the game.
Gilbert started the inning by getting two outs, allowing only a single to Frank DeSico in between. The Hall summoned left-handed pitcher Rick Mangione (Orange, Conn.) to face left-handed hitter Eric Jagielo, but the sophomore walked the batter on a full count.
With two-outs and runners on first and second, Ryan Harvey (Manalapan, N.J.) made his way from the bullpen to face Notre Dame's top hitter Mancini. Mancini delivered for the Irish with a three-run blast over the left-center field wall to give his team the, 5-4, edge.
Prior to Norton's home run, the Pirates built a, 3-0, lead which started in the first inning.
Zack Granite (Staten Island, N.Y.) led off the game with an infield single, moved to third base on a single by A.J. Rusbarsky (Freehold, N.J.) and scored when Dale Anderson (Alberta, Canada) grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Sean Gusrang (Burlington, N.J.) added to the inning with his third home run of the season, a solo shot over the right field wall.
The score remained the same until the fourth inning when Mike Genovese (Livingston, N.J.) plated Anderson with an RBI single, extended his hitting streak to four games.
Giuseppe Papaccio (Nutley, N.J.) and Genovese each had two hits to lead the Pirates offense while Gusrang and Esposito both reached base with a hit and a walk each. Gusrang had to be taken out of the game in the top of the sixth after fouling a pitch off his foot.
Harvey (3-2) suffered the loss, while Dan Slania (1-2) picked up the win. Slania finished his day surrendering a run on three hits in 2.1 innings of relief.
The Pirates return to action Tuesday when they welcome Saint Peter's to Owen T. Carroll Field for a non-conference match-up. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
