The Seton Hall baseball team dropped both games of its doubleheader Saturday against Texas Christian University, bringing its season record to 14-17. This was the Pirates’ first meeting with TCU ever and their first meeting with a nationally ranked opponent this season.
Ricky DeVito allowed only one run in the game’s first five innings before TCU scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-0 lead over the Pirates. DeVito had five strikeouts in the first 5.1 innings before TCU had its offensive breakout.
Casey Dana and Tyler Shelder-McAvoy each had a single in the game. Steve Grober drove in the Pirate’s only run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to score Christian Del Castillo.
The second game was a back and forth between the two teams, with the Pirates losing 8-6 after the Horned Frogs scored two runs in the bottom of the eight to secure the win.
Matt Toke went 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored for the Pirates, while Dana went 2-for-5 with a run scored. Sebastiano Santorelli drove in two runs for the team.
David Festa was perfect through three innings, but he allowed four runs in the fourth inning and allowed another two runs in the sixth.
Seton Hall scored first in the second game of the day thanks to an RBI from Santorelli to score Toke. In the fourth inning, the Pirates expanded their lead 2-0 with another RBI from Santorelli, scoring Toke again.
In the bottom of the fourth the Horned Frogs scored four runs, fueled by a three-run home run to give TCU a 4-2 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Jerry Huntzinger singled up the middle and moved to second base after a single from Dana. Del Castillo delivered a third single and Huntzinger scored. Toke followed with an RBI single to tie the game at four apiece. Grober hit the fifth single of the inning to give the Pirates a 5-4 lead.
In the sixth inning TCU regained a 6-5 lead.
In the top of the eighth inning, Thomas Holdorf singled through the right side. Pinch runner Nick Dabrio advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Connor Hood and then to third on a ground out. Dabrio scored on a throwing error by TCU first baseman to tie the game at six.
The Pirate’s chance at victory was hindered when TCU scored two final runs at the bottom of the eighth to secure the series.
Seton Hall outhit TCU 12 to six and had zero errors compared to TCU’s three.
The Pirates will close out their series in Fort Worth, Texas on Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.
Brittany Tomore can be reached at Brittany.tomore@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @BrittTomore.
