FIU Gets By Seton Hall In Series Finale, 4-3

Monday, March 4

Miami, Fla.

6:15 p.m.

Seton Hall University

Florida International

SETON HALL

FIU

Jayson Torres throws a pitch against Wagner

3/4/2024 11:45:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Miami, Fla. -- Despite a solid bullpen performance that kept the Seton Hall baseball team in the game late, the Pirates couldn't muster a rally as they fell to FIU in the series finale, 4-3.

The Pirates (7-4) will leave Miami with a split in the four-game series. Previously, the last time Seton Hall won two games at Florida International was in 1985 when it swept a two-game series.

Jayson Torres (East Islip, N.Y.) struck out three and didn't allow a hit in three innings of work. Jackson Balzan (Medford, N.J.), Carter Kelsey (Westport, Conn.) and Nate Espelin (Belmont, Mass.) combined to strikeout four in the seventh and eighth innings. Danny Melnick (Hamilton, N.J.) and Joey Calabretti (Perkasie, Pa.) both hit home runs for The Hall.

How It Happened

Melnick got Seton Hall on the board early as he crushed a two-out solo home run over the left field fence that gave the Pirates a 1-0 lead. FIU would answer in the bottom of the first with two runs that were scored on a sacrifice fly and a walk, putting themselves in front 2-1.

Seton Hall starter Anthony Ehly (Glenside, Pa.) settled in and tossed a 1-2-3 second inning before FIU scratched a run across in the third that extended its lead to 3-1. After Torres worked a scoreless third inning in relief, Calabretti roped a one-out home run to center field that cut into the Seton Hall deficit, However, the Panthers would respond with another sac fly that pushed a run across and gave FIU a two-run lead again in the home half of the fourth, 4-2.

The Pirates put two runners on in the top of the sixth inning and one runner on in the top of the seventh but they couldn't draw closer. In the top of the eighth, Luders led off the inning with his second hit of the evening before moving to second base on a passed ball. Back-to-back strikeouts brought Zack Sylvester (Montville, N.J.) up to the plate with two out and he delivered with a base hit that scored Luders and made it a one-run game, 4-3. That would end up being the Pirates' final run of the game, however. A pinch-hit, one-out base hit off the bat of Andrew Bianco (Kings Park, N.Y.) gave the Pirates a base runner in the ninth but no one was able to score him and extend the game.

Up Next

The Pirates continue their Florida Spring Break trip this weekend as they head to Jacksonville to take North Florida for a three-game series starting at 6 p.m. on Friday.