Pirates to Battle No. 2 Florida This Weekend

March 10-11, 2017
Gainesville, Florida - Alfred A. McKethan Stadium

SETON HALL (6-6) at No. 2 FLORIDA (10-4)

Date

Seton Hall
Probable Starter

Florida
Probable Starter

Live
Video

Live
Audio

Live
Stats

Twitter

Friday,
March 10
6:30 p.m. ET

SHANE
MCCARTHY
(0-2, 10.12 ERA)
RHP

Alex Faedo
(2-0, 1.77 ERA)
RHP

LIVE
STATS

@SHUBaseball

Saturday,
March 11
4:00 p.m. ET

ZACH
PRENDERGAST
(2-0, 5.29 ERA)
RHP

Brady Singer
(2-0, 1.00 ERA)
RHP

LIVE
STATS

@SHUBaseball

Saturday,
March 11
7:00 p.m. ET

CULLEN
DANA
(0-2, 4.70 ERA)
LHP

Jackson Kowar
(3-0, 2.45 ERA)
RHP

LIVE
STATS

@SHUBaseball

PREVIEW:
Seton Hall will complete its 2017 Spring Break trip with a three-game series at second-ranked Florida this weekend. All three games will be carried by the SEC Network and can be seen on the Watch ESPN app. All three will also have an audio broadcast via the Pirate Sports Network at SHUpirates.com. Due to inclement weather expected on Sunday, a doubleheader will now be played on Saturday beginning at 4:00 p.m.

The Pirates have won three straight games for the first time this season after sweeping a brief two-game mid-week series at Stetson earlier this week. On Tuesday, Ryan Ramiz went 3-for-5 and Billy Layne, Jr. pitched five scoreless innings in his first career start as the Pirates defeated Stetson, 5-1. On Wednesday, control issues for both teams led to 22 combined walks. With Seton Hall clinging to a 6-5 lead in the eighth inning, junior Andrew Politi struck out the side with the bases loaded and no outs. Politi also struck out the side with two Hatters on base in the ninth inning to preserve the victory.

SERIES INFORMATION:
Seton Hall and Florida have never met on the baseball diamond.

The Gators are coming off one of their most successful seasons, posting a final 2016 record of 52-16 and making it to the College World Series. They are picked to win the SEC title this year and had five players named to the SEC Preseason First Team. Friday starter Alex Faedo is one of the leading candidates to be selected as the No. 1 overall pick in this June's MLB Amateur Draft. They enter this series as the nation's No. 2 ranked team with a record of 10-4, but are coming off two straight mid-week losses in a home-and-home series against Florida Gulf Coast. Most recently, they dropped a 3-2 contest in Gainesville on Wednesday.

THINGS TO KNOW:
PIRATES SWEEP STETSON
Seton Hall got back to the .500 mark with a sweep of its brief two-game mid-week series at Stetson earlier this week. The Hall downed the Hatters, 5-1, on Tuesday, and held on for a 6-5 victory on Wednesday. They were the first two mid-week games of the season for the Pirates.

POLITI SLAMS THE DOOR
Junior Andrew Politi entered the game on Wednesday at Stetson with a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, but the Hatters had the bases loaded with no outs. The right-hander, who entered the game with an infinite ERA, struck out the side. In the ninth, he allowed two singles, but managed to strike out the side again to earn the improbable save.

MORRIS BOUNCES BACK
After a rough first start, junior Chris Morris bounced back at Stetson on Wednesday. The right-hander allowed just one earned run over 4.2 innings pitched in a no decision.

LAYNE, JR. DAZZLES IN FIRST START
Making his first collegiate start, Billy Layne, Jr. was nearly untouchable at Stetson on Tuesday. The sophomore pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just four hits with four strikeouts and no walks. He earned his first career victory.

WALK OF LIFE
Against Stetson on Wednesday, the Pirates matched their season high with 11 walks. The patient Pirates drew six walks in the fourth inning alone, three of which forced in runs. The Hatters walked in four runs in the game overall in a Seton Hall 6-5 win.

STRANDED RUNNERS
Seton Hall pitchers were able to strand 18 Stetson base runners on Wednesday. It's the most stranded runners by a Seton Hall opponent since Louisville stranded 18 on March 28, 2009.

PRENDERGAST HONOR ROLL
Senior Zach Prendergast was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. The right-hander pitched a gem in a victory over South Alabama, throwing seven innings and allowing just two runs with four strikeouts and just one walk.

PIRATES DOWN SOUTH ALABAMA
Seton Hall was able to salvage the final game of the Cox Diamond Invitational in Pensacola on Sunday. The Pirates jumped out to a 3-0 lead on South Alabama with a trio of runs in the third inning, and was able to hold on for the 3-2 victory.

TESTANI EMERGING
After a strong summer league, senior Ryan Testani has emerged as one of the key bullpen arms for the Pirates this season. To date, he has appeared in six games, pitching a total of 9.0 innings and has yet to allow a run. Testani has seven strikeouts and no walks. Testani also leads the Pirates with two saves.

100 FOR PODUSLENKO
With a hit against South Alabama on Sunday, senior Joe Poduslenko has reached 100 for his career. The Pirate third baseman currently is off to a hot start this season, leading the Pirates with a .368 batting average.

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.

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