Baseball Edged by Tennessee, 3-2, in 11 Innings
2/26/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BOX SCORE (.html)
BOX SCORE (.pdf)
KNOXVILLE, TENN. - Junior starter Rick Mangione (Orange, Conn.) gave up just one earned run in six innings of work, but despite an early lead, the Seton Hall baseball team lost its second straight at Tennessee, 3-2, in 11 innings on Saturday.
Mangione, making his second start of the season, gave up just three hits, strike out five and didn't issue a walk.
Sophomore Zack Granite (Staten Island, N.Y.) was the offensive star for the Pirates, going 3-for-5 at the top of the lineup with a run scored.
Seton Hall (2-4) got on the board first in the top of the third inning. With two outs, Granite doubled down the line and Mike Genovese (Livingston, N.J.) knocked him in with a single to right field.
Mangione was cruising, but ran into trouble in the bottom of the sixth inning. After retiring the leadoff batter, he plunked Zach Luther, who then stole second base. Tennessee's Zach Osborne followed with a single, which advanced Luther to third. Pierce followed with a safety squeeze to plate the Volunteers' first run and tie the game at one.
The Pirates jumped back in front in the top of the seventh inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, junior Scott Kalamar (Bethlehem, Pa.) hit a dribbler back to the pitcher who couldn't field the ball. Kalamar reached safely and Giuseppe Papaccio (Nutley, N.J.) scored the go-ahead run. But senior Dale Anderson (Calgary, Alberta) struck out to end the threat.
Brian Gilbert (Toms River, N.J.) came on in relief of Mangione to start the bottom of the seventh inning and gave up a leadoff single to Tennessee's Chris Fritts. After getting a pop out, Fritts moved over to second on a single by Maddox. Fritts then moved to third on a while pitch and scored on a throwing error by Pirates' catcher Dillon Hamlin (Colts Neck, N.J.) to tie the game at two.
The score remained knotted at two apiece until the home half of the 11th inning. Ryan Harvey (Manalapan, N.J.), working his third inning of relief, walked Chris Pierce with one out. Two wild pitches moved Pierce to third, and after a walk to Drew Steckenrider, a third wild pitch plated the winning run.
Despite his wildness in the 11th inning, Harvey didn't give up a hit in two and a third innings of work. He takes the loss and falls to 0-2 on the young season.
Tennessee's Zack Godley earned the victory with six innings of one run ball. He struck out seven and walked just one.
Seton Hall will wrap-up its series with Tennessee on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/shuathletics and follow the Pirates on Twitter @SHUAthletics.
