Seton Hall Faces UConn This Weekend

March 24-26, 2017
South Orange, N.J. - Owen T. Carroll Field

CONNECTICUT (10-8) at SETON HALL (10-8)

Date

Seton Hall
Probable Starter

Connecticut
Probable Starter

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Video

Radio

Live
Stats

Twitter

Friday,
March 24
3:30 p.m.

ZACH
PRENDERGAST
(3-0, 3.72 ERA)
RHP

Tim Cate
(1-1, 3.38 ERA)
LHP

LIVE
STATS

@SHUBaseball

Saturday,
March 25
2:00 p.m.

CULLEN
DANA
(0-2, 4.05 ERA)
LHP

Wills Montgomerie
(4-0, 3.09 ERA)
RHP

LIVE
STATS

@SHUBaseball

Sunday,
March 26
1:00 p.m.

SHANE
MCCARTHY
(1-3, 7.56 ERA)
RHP

Mason Feole
(2-0, 4.24 ERA)
LHP

LIVE
STATS

@SHUBaseball

PREVIEW:
Seton Hall will return to action this weekend with a three-game series against former BIG EAST opponent Connecticut. The series was originally slated to be played in Storrs, Conn., but will now be played at Owen T. Carroll Field. First pitch of Friday's game is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET.

The Pirates are coming off a perfect 3-0 homecoming last weekend as part of the Strikeout Cancer Classic at Owen T. Carroll Field. The Hall defeated Manhattan, 7-2, behind the strong pitching of Zach Prendergast on Friday. On Saturday, the Seton Hall scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth to down the Jaspers, 7-3. Five Pirates reached base at least twice. Shane McCarthy pitched five scoreless innings on Sunday as the Pirates recorded their first shutout of the year, a 3-0 victory over Lehigh. Four relievers combined to limit the Mountain Hawks to just three hits over the remaining four innings.

SERIES INFORMATION:
With Connecticut being a former BIG EAST Conference member, the Pirates and Huskies have a lengthy history. Seton Hall has won 45 of 80 all-time meetings. Most recently, Connecticut took two games of a three-game series at Owen T. Carroll Field in 2015. In their last season as part of the BIG EAST, the Huskies dropped two of three games to Seton Hall in 2013. During Seton Hall's last BIG EAST title run, the Pirates eliminated the top-seeded Huskies with a pair of victories in the BIG EAST Championship in 2011.

Connecticut enters this weekend with a record of 10-8. They are coming off a 38-win season in 2016, but lost their ace, Anthony Kay, to graduation. The Huskies are picked to finish fourth in the eight-team American Athletic Conference and are coming off a 7-5 victory at Central Connecticut State on Tuesday. Last weekend, they dropped two of three games at BYU.

THINGS TO KNOW:
MCCARTHY NETS HONOR ROLL
Junior Shane McCarthy was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. The right-hander allowed only two hits over five shutout innings in Seton Hall's 3-0 victory over Lehigh on Sunday. The victory is the first of the season for the Pirates' ace.

PIRATES SWEEP STRIKEOUT CANCER CLASSIC
Seton Hall won a trio of games at the Strikeout Cancer Classic last weekend at Owen T. Carroll Field. The Pirates defeated Manhattan on Friday, 7-2, and scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to down the Jaspers on Saturday, 7-3. On Sunday, The Hall shut out Lehigh, 3-0.

TESTANI LEADING THE NATION
Senior Ryan Testani is one of only two pitchers in the country to have thrown 19 or more innings without having given up an earned run. The other is also a BIG EAST pitcher, Xavier's Matt Kent.

BIG EIGHTH INNING
With the game tied at three, the Pirates erupted for four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat Manhattan, 7-3. With two outs and a runner on first, five straight Pirates recorded hits. Rob Dadona capped the rally with a ground-rule double to give the Pirates a four-run cushion.

HIT STREAK
Junior Mike Alescio has a team-high 11-game hit streak entering this weekend. The catcher-turned-right fielder is batting .368 during the streak

100 HITS FOR RAMIZ
In Friday's victory over Manhattan, junior Ryan Ramiz recorded his 100th career hit. The milestone came with a triple in the seventh inning. He is the second Pirate this season to record their 100th hit as Joe Poduslenko reached the plateau last month.

PATIENT PODUSLENKO
Senior Joe Poduslenko is among the most patient hitters in the country so far this year. He walked twice in each of the three games last weekend and currently leads the BIG EAST with 17 bases on balls this year.

FREE PIRATE SPORTS NETWORK
For the first time, all baseball broadcasts, both video and audio, will be free of charge on the Pirates Sports Network at SHUpirates.com. All home games will have a free live video stream, while select away contests will have a free live audio stream.

PIRATES RALLY TO EDGE NO. 2 FLORIDA
Mike Caputo dropped a perfect safety squeeze bunt to drive in the tying run in the top of the ninth inning at No. 2 Florida on Saturday. In the top of the 13th inning, it was Caputo again delivering a sacrifice fly to give the Pirates a 3-2 lead. Anthony Pacillo entered in the bottom of the 13th and earned the save.

TWITTER
For news, lineups, game action and results, be sure to follow Seton Hall baseball all season long via twitter - @SHUbaseball.

MCCARTHY, ALESCIO PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST
Juniors Shane McCarthy and Mike Alescio were named to the 2017 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. McCarthy was one of only four players to be named a unanimous selection. The right-hander led the BIG EAST in ERA, strikeouts and innings pitched. Alescio was a Johnny Bench Award List member and batted .310.

PIRATES PICKED FOURTH
Seton Hall was picked to finish fourth in the seven-team BIG EAST Conference by the coaches in the 2017 preseason poll. St. John's and Xavier tied for the top spot, while Creighton was selected third, just one point ahead of the Pirates.