Elia, Annunziata Power Baseball Past Richmond

Feb. 23, 2014

RICHMOND, VA. - Junior Anthony Elia (Flanders, N.J.) pitched six innings of one-run baseball and the Pirate offense exploded for 15 runs and 14 hits as the Seton Hall baseball team defeated Richmond, 15-1, in the opening game of Sunday's double-header.

Elia evened his season record at 1-1 by giving up just one unearned run, while striking out six and walking just two.

The Seton Hall offense scored early and often. Junior Sal Annunziata (Bronx, N.Y.) led the hit parade, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs, three doubles and four runs scored. Freshman Mike Caputo (Morganville, N.J.) went 2-for-3 with three RBIs as the designated hitter. All nine of the Pirates' starters recorded at least one hit and 15 position players had at least one at bat.

For a second straight game, Seton Hall broke through early against Richmond. Zack Weigel (Oak Park, Ill.) walked to leadoff the game and was bunted to second by Chris Selden (Allenhurst, N.J.). With two outs, Annunziata doubled down the left field line to score Weigel with the first run of the game. Dillon Hamlin (Colts Neck, N.J.) then reached on a fielding error by the Spiders' second baseman and D.J. Ruhlman (Belle Mead, N.J.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Caputo followed with a hard single to right center field scoring both Annunziata and Hamlin to give Seton Hall a 3-0 lead.

In the top of the second inning, the Pirates struck for three more runs and were aided by a pair of Richmond errors. With two outs and runners on second and third, Annunziata struck out, but the ball got away from the Spiders' catcher Cory Moheit. Moheit then threw the ball over the head of the Richmond first baseman and both Seton Hall runners came around to score. Hamlin followed with a double off the left field wall to score Annunziata and extend the Pirates' lead to 6-0.

After singles by Weigel and Selden, Annunziata smashed a double off the center field wall to plate two more in the top of the fourth. Alex Falconi (Freeport, N.Y.) and Caputo followed with RBI singles of their own to extend the Pirates' lead to 10-0.

In the sixth, Annunziata hit his third double of the game and was brought home on an RBI single by Ruhlman to give Seton Hall an 11-0 lead and the rout was on.

Late in the game, Mikael-Ali Mogues (New York, N.Y.) connected on a solo home run, the first of his young career.

Richmond starter Dylan Stoops took the loss.