Seton Hall University
Creighton
Baseball Drops Heart-Breaker to Creighton, 8-7
5/4/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 4, 2014
OMAHA, NEB. - The Seton Hall baseball team allowed three runs in the bottom of the 10th inning as Creighton came-from-behind to defeat the Pirates, 8-7, on Sunday.
With the loss, the Pirates lose the series at Creighton and fall three games behind the Bluejays and St. John's in the BIG EAST Conference regular season standings with only six games remaining.
With the score knotted at five, Seton Hall broke through for two runs in the top of the 10th. Sal Annunziata (Bronx, N.Y.) and Kyle Grimm (Bergenfield, N.J.) led off with back-to-back singles and were moved into scoring position by a sacrifice bunt from Chris Selden (Allenhurst, N.J.). Dillon Hamlin (Colts Neck, N.J.) was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. After Tyler Boyd (Succasunna, N.J.) grounded into a fielder's choice, with the out at home, Chris Chiaradio (Teaneck, N.J.) and Derek Jenkins (Annandale, N.J.) hit back-to-back RBI singles to give the Pirates a 7-5 lead.
But Seton Hall reliever Steve Lombardi (Saddle River, N.J.) was trusted with getting the final three outs and couldn't come through. Creighton loaded the bases via a single and two walks with no outs. After Lombardi struck out Mike Gerber, Reagan Fowler singled up the middle scoring two runs to tie the game. The Bluejays then attempted a double steal. Hamlin threw wide of third base and Jake Peter broke for the plate. D.J. Ruhlman's (Belle Mead, N.J.) throw was on the money, but Peter was called safe with the winning run.
Seton Hall struck early with the help of the long-ball in the first inning. With two outs and Zack Weigel (Oak Park, Ill.) on first base, Annunziata launched an opposite field, two-run home run, his team-leading fifth of the season.
Annunziata had a monster day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, three runs scored and a walk.
Creighton cut into the lead with a run in the bottom of the third on a leadoff triple by Daniel Woodrow and subsequent sacrifice fly.
Annunziata led off the fourth inning with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Grimm. He moved to third on a wild pitch and came in to score on a perfectly executed safety squeeze by Hamlin to extend the Pirates' lead to 3-1.
The Bluejays came back again with single runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game at three. The latter of which, chased Seton Hall starter Luke Cahill (Tinton Falls, N.J.). Reliever Anthony Pacillo (Lyndhurst, N.J.) left the bases loaded.
Annunziata led off the sixth inning with his third hit of the game. With two outs, Hamlin hit a routine grounder to third, but Creighton's third baseman Nicky Lopez threw high of first base. Annunziata came around to score the go-ahead run. Freshman Joe Poduslenko (Glen Mills, Pa.) singled to right field. Hamlin broke for the plate, the throw beat him, but the catcher mishandled the ball and Hamlin scored to give Seton Hall a 5-3 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh the Pirates' control failed them. With two outs and a runner on first, Pacillo gave up an RBI double to cut the Seton Hall lead to 5-4. Conor Krauss (Randolph, N.J.) entered and promptly walked two batters to load the bases. Krauss then hit Creighton's Brad McKewon to force in the tying run.
Seton Hall will return to action on Friday, May 9 when it hosts Xavier for the first game of a three-game series at Owen T. Carroll Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET.
