A 10-run outburst across the first two innings put Seton Hall baseball in an early hole it could not climb out of, as Rutgers used a dominant start at the plate to secure a 12–7 win at Owen T. Carroll Field at Mike Sheppard St., Field on Tuesday.
The Scarlet Knights wasted no time taking control, erupting for five runs in the top of the first inning against the Pirates’ freshman starting right-hand pitcher John Donahue.
After a leadoff groundout, Rutgers’ Peyton Bonds worked a walk and stole second, immediately putting pressure on The Hall. The Scarlet Knights’ Charlie Meglio followed with an RBI triple to right field to open the scoring.
The inning quickly unraveled from there. Rutgers Trey Wells was hit by a pitch and later stole second, while Yomar Carreras drew a walk to load the bases. A wild pitch brought home another run, and Matt Chatelle delivered a two run single to left field to extend the lead. Rutgers added one more on a sacrifice fly after a SHU error, forcing Donahue out of the game before the inning ended with a 5–0 deficit.
TheHall showed an immediate response in the bottom half of the inning. After two quick outs, junior infielder Ryan Frontera sparked the offense with a walk. Fellow junior infielder Nick Tomasetto followed with an RBI double to right field, and sophomore outfielder Magnus Krieger added an RBI single to center to cut the deficit to 5–2.
Any momentum the Pirates gained was quickly halted in the second inning, where Rutgers delivered the decisive blow. After a walk and a double put runners in scoring position, Chatelle struck again with a two run single. Later in the inning, Rutgers’ Julius Rosado cleared the bases with a three run double to left field, capping another five-run frame and pushing the lead to 10–2.
Rutgers added to its advantage in the third inning, as Carreras drove in a run with a single to center, extending the lead to 11–2.
Despite the early deficit, the Pirates continued to battle. In the fourth inning, sophomore infielder Tommy Manzo led off with a double down the left field line. Junior infielder Gabe Cavazzoni followed with an RBI double, and fellow junior infielder Shea Grady added an RBI single to bring the Pirates within 11–4. The rally showed signs of a bigger inning, but a double play ended the threat.
From there, SHU’s bullpen stabilized the game. Jayden Barroqueiro, Matt Pontari, Stephen Curry and Derek Benzinger combined to limit Rutgers’ offense, allowing just one run over the final six innings while keeping the Pirates within striking distance.
SHU chipped away again in the eighth inning. Manzo worked a leadoff walk and moved into scoring position before sophomore outfielder Aiden Dill delivered an RBI single. Dill later came around to score on a single from Grady, trimming the deficit to 12–6.
The Pirates continued their late push in the ninth inning when junior infielder Frankie Scrivanic drove in a run with a single to left field. However, the comeback effort was cut short by a game ending double play, sealing the 12–7 final.
Offensively, The Hall showed resilience throughout the game. Tomasetto, Grady and Scrivanic each delivered key RBIs, while Cavazzoni and Manzo helped generate momentum in the middle innings. Still, the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
SHU will look to avoid early pitching struggles and build on its late game offensive production again as it prepares for its next matchup, a three-game series that starts on April 10 at Creighton in Omaha, Nebraska.
Colin Comerford is a writer for The Setonian’s Sports Section. He can be reached at colin.comerford@student.shu.edu.
