Payero's Strong Start Not Enough In Series Opener vs. Butler

Friday, April 21

South Orange, N.J.

6 p.m.

Seton Hall University

19-17, 4-3

Butler

8-29, 1-6

Butler

Seton Hall

Nick Payero throws a pitch against NJIT in 2022

Payero's Strong Start Not Enough In Series Opener vs. Butler

4/21/2023 9:38:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score BOX SCORE.pdf

South Orange, N.J. - Despite holding on to a 2-1 lead going into the ninth inning, the Seton Hall baseball team could not continue its winning ways as Butler rallied in the ninth inning to take game one of the three-game series, 6-2, on Friday evening at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Stadium.

The Bulldogs spoiled a strong pitching performance from The Hall's Nick Payero (Monroe, N.J.), who struck out seven batters and surrendered only one run and one walk in a seven-inning start. Junior Zack Sylvester (Montville, N.J.) went 2-for-3 with a stolen base and a double from the nine spot in the batting order.

THE GAME

After giving a run on an RBI fielder's choice in the top of the first inning, Payero settled in and retired the side in the second inning and sat the Bulldogs down in order in the third. The Pirates drew back-to-back walks to lead off the home half of the third and a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Senior Oscar Murray (Brentwood, Calif.) then put the ball in play with a groundout to second and it allowed Sylvester to score from third, tying the game up at 1-1.

The score was still 1-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth when Sylvester led off the inning with a double down the left field line. The next batter was Murray, who struck out on a ball in the dirt. On the throw from the catcher to the first baseman to record the out, Sylvester dashed for the third base, drawing an errant throw by the first baseman that allowed Sylvester to score the go-ahead run.

Payero retired the side in order again in the seventh, striking out the final two batters of the frame, before being lifted in the top of the eighth with a runner on first for freshman Ryan Reich (Sellinsgrove, Pa.). Reich induced two fly outs and a strikeout that ended the threat before Butler responded with a five-run ninth inning that sealed the come-from-behind victory.

THE NUMBERS:

Butler scored six runs on 11 hits and committed two errors while Seton Hall pushed across two runs on seven hits with one error.
While the Pirates went ahead in the sixth inning thanks to its work on the base paths, they also committed three out on the base paths.
Seton Hall went 2-for-13 with runners on base while Butler went 5-for-17.

THE NOTES:

Payero matched his career high going seven innings and his seven strikeouts were a season high.
Six of Butler's 11 hits came in the ninth inning.
The Pirates were held hitless until the fifth inning when redshirt junior Devin Hack (Somerville, N.J.) reached on a single.
That was Seton Hall's second loss this season when leading after eight innings.

UP NEXT:

The Pirates and Bulldogs will play game two tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Stadium. It's Trading Card Day at The Shep, he first 150 fans in attendance will receive a pack of trading cards, made up of the team's seniors and graduate students.