Seton Hall University
Oklahoma
Baseball Falls at Oklahoma, 8-2
2/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 15, 2014
NORMAN, OKLA. - A day after the Seton Hall bullpen gave up just one hit, it surrendered five runs in three innings as the Pirates fell to Oklahoma, 8-2, suffering its first loss of the season, on Saturday.
Junior starter Anthony Elia (Flanders, N.J.) pitched well enough to earn the win, allowing three earned runs on just four hits over six innings, but the Seton Hall offense afforded him just two runs of support. Elia picked up his first loss of the season, struck out two and walked three.
A day after banging out 14 hits, Seton Hall mustered just six, four of which came against Oklahoma starter Adam Choplick.
For a second straight game, the Pirates opened up the scoring. In the top of the fourth, senior Chris Selden (Allenhurst, N.J.) led off with a double to left field. With two outs, he advanced to third on a while pitch and scored the first run of the game on an RBI double by junior Kyle Grimm (Bergenfield, N.J.).
The lead however, didn't last long, as the Sooners erupted for three runs on four hits off Elia in the bottom of the fourth. Three Oklahoma singles and a triple did the damage, and Seton Hall found itself in a 3-1 disadvantage after four innings. Elia hadn't surrendered a hit through the game's first three innings.
In the top of the seventh, the Pirates inched closer. Junior Alex Falconi (Freeport, N.Y.) led off with a single and stole second base. He advanced to third on a ground out by D.J. Ruhlman (Belle Mead, N.J.), and scored on a wild pitch to cut the Oklahoma lead to 3-2.
Oklahoma (1-1) however, blew the game open in the bottom of the seventh. Steve Lombardi (Saddle River, N.J.) came on in relief of Elia and gave up a one-out walk. Freshman Anthony Pacillo (Lyndhurst, N.J.) relieved Lombardi and gave up a walk and an infield single, and saw a run come home on his throwing error. Greg Tripold (Colts Neck, N.J.) became the third Seton Hall pitcher of the inning and gave up back-to-back home runs, and the Sooner lead ballooned to 8-2.
Oklahoma's Shelden Neuse finished the game 2-for-4 with a game-high four RBIs and a home run.
No Pirate had more than one hit. Selden, Grimm and freshman Mikael-Ali Mogues (New York, N.Y.) all delivered doubles.
Seton Hall (1-1) had two more errors on Saturday, increasing its two-game total to six on the early season. The Pirates committed a BIG EAST-low 48 errors in 56 games last season.
Seton Hall will complete its three-game series at the University of Oklahoma with tomorrow's "rubber" game. Sophomore Luke Cahill (Tinton Falls, N.J.) will make his first collegiate start against the Sooners' Jake Elliott. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET.
