Pirates Travel to Kissimmee Irish Classic

Friday, March 2, 2018
Osceola County Stadium Complex Field #1 – Kissimmee, Fla.

SETON HALL (2-4) vs. SEATTLE (5-4)

Date

Seton Hall
Probable Starter

Seattle
Probable Starter

Live
Video

Live
Audio

Live
Stats

Twitter

Friday,
March 2
1:00 p.m.

SHANE
MCCARTHY
(0-2, 6.00 ERA)
RHP

Tarik Skubal
(0-0, 7.00 ERA)
LHP

None

@SHUBaseball

Saturday, March 3, 2018 – Osceola County Stadium – Kissimmee, Fla.

SETON HALL (2-4) vs. NOTRE DAME (4-3)

Date

Seton Hall
Probable Starter

Notre Dame
Probable Starter

Live
Video

Live
Audio

Live
Stats

Twitter

Saturday,
March 3
2:30 p.m.

ANDREW
POLITI
(0-2, 7.71 ERA)
RHP

Tommy Sheehan
(1-0, 5.40 ERA)
LHP

None

LIVE
STATS

@SHUBaseball

Sunday, March 4, 2018 – Osceola County Stadium Complex Field #3 – Kissimmee, Fla.

SETON HALL (2-4) vs. YOUNGSTOWN STATE (1-5)

Date

Seton Hall
Probable Starter

Youngstown St.
Probable Starter

Live
Video

Live
Audio

Live
Stats

Twitter

Sunday,
March 4
10:45 a.m.

RICKY

DEVITO
(0-0, 4.32 ERA)
RHP

Zach Lopatka
(0-0, 13.50 ERA)
LHP

None

@SHUBaseball

PREVIEW:
Seton Hall will begin its Spring Break trip to the State of Florida this weekend. The Pirates will play three games as part of the Kissimmee Irish Classic over the weekend, followed by a game on Tuesday against Central Michigan. In Kissimmee, the Pirates will face Seattle, host Notre Dame and Youngstown State. The event will begin on Friday, March 2 with a contest against Seattle. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

The Pirates are coming off a 1-2 showing last weekend in Spartanburg, S.C. The Hall fell to USC Upstate on Friday, 12-1. On Saturday, the Pirates fell in the opener at Wofford, 12-5, despite a three-run home run by freshman Casey Dana. In Saturday's second game, they bounced back behind strong pitching by Ricky DeVito, Corey Sawyer and Matt Leon to defeat Pittsburgh, 1-0. DeVito scattered just three hits over six scoreless innings in a no decision.

DeVito was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday.

SERIES INFORMATION:
Seton Hall has never played Seattle, Youngstown State or mid-week opponent Central Michigan, but has a lengthy history with Notre Dame. As a former member of the BIG EAST Conference, the Pirates and Fighting Irish have met 51 previous times with Notre Dame winning 34 of those games.

The teams haven't met since Notre Dame left the conference. Their last meeting was in the opening round of the BIG EAST Championship in 2013, a 5-0 victory for the Irish.

THINGS TO KNOW:
RECENT NEWS
Sophomore Ricky DeVito was named to the BIG EAST Baseball Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. Making only his second career start, DeVito turned in a strong performance against former BIG EAST rival Pittsburgh on Saturday. The right-hander scattered just three hits over six scoreless innings as the Pirates were able to salvage the final game of a three-game series. DeVito struck out a career-high seven batters and walked only two in a no decision.

LAST SERIES
Seton Hall dropped two of three games last week in Spartanburg. The Pirates fell to USC Upstate on Friday, 12-1. On Saturday, The Hall played a split-opponent doubleheader. They fell at Wofford in game one, 12-5, despite Casey Dana's three-run home run, but bounced back to shut out Pittsburgh in game two, 1-0, behind stellar pitching from Ricky DeVito, Corey Sawyer and Matt Leon.

HITTER TO WATCH
Senior Mike Alescio has started the 2018 season as the hottest Pirate hitter. He is batting a team-best .409 through six games and has collected multiple hits in four games so far. In Seton Hall's victory over Pittsburgh last weekend, the Pirates had only five hits, but Alescio had three of them.

PITCHER TO WATCH
Sophomore Corey Sawyer has become a reliable late game left-handed arm for the Pirates this season. Last year, he had a 3.68 ERA in only 7.1 innings pitched. This year, he has already appeared in three games and worked 5.0 innings. Sawyer has yet to allow a run and has given up just two hits, while striking out six.

MILESTONE TRACKER
Seton Hall head coach Rob Sheppard needs just 11 wins to reach 400 for his career. Senior Rob Dadona's next hit will be No. 50. Senior Ryan Ramiz needs 15 hits to reach 150 for his career, and two RBIs to reach 50. Senior Matt Leon needs just four strikeout to reach 100 for his career. Senior Mike Alescio needs just two RBIs for 50 in his career.

AROUND THE CONFERENCE
Butler continues to streak out of the gate, winning four more times last weekend against George Mason to up its record to a perfect 8-0. St. John's is also still undefeated after taking down Monmouth, UMBC and Penn State last weekend. They're 7-0. Villanova was swept at USC to drop to 3-3. Xavier won two of three games in Spartanburg, defeating Presbyterian and USC Upstate to improve to 3-4. Creighton swept UC Davis to improve to 4-2, while Georgetown was swept at Davidson and is still winless on the year at 0-6.

PIRATE SPORTS NETWORK
The Pirate Sports Network at SHUpirates.com will again provide free live video streaming of all Seton Hall home baseball games. Additionally, Sports Information Director Matt Sweeney will provide a free live audio stream of most road contests. Be sure to visit the PSN at SHUpirates.com!