After taking the series opener 9-3 on April 24, Seton Hall baseball (13-22, 2-10 BIG EAST) hosted Villanova (13-25, 1-11 BIG EAST) for a doubleheader at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Stadium at Owen T. Carroll Field on Sunday, winning the first game 2-3 but falling in the second, 11-6.
Pitching and timely hitting were key in the first game.
Villanova got an early lead when the Wildcats’ Montgomery led off the game with a solo home run, giving the Wildcats a 1–0 lead. In the top of the third, the Pirates responded with a solo home run of their own by sophomore outfielder Magnus Krieger, knotting the game up at one each.
The Villanova offense came alive once again in the fourth inning when the Wildcats’ Quintano doubled, followed by Hotaling driving him in to give the Wildcats a 2–1 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, The Hall scored to tie the game once again. After Marini doubled, he eventually scored on a sacrifice from sophomore infielder Tommy Manzo, tying the game at two apiece.
Then, in the top of the sixth, SHU took its first lead on a well-executed play. After reaching first, junior infielder Ryan Frontera advanced to second before moving over after Krieger's hit. In a bases-loaded situation, junior infielder Frankie Scrivanic bunted Frontera home, putting The Hall ahead 3–2.
On the mound, the Pirates' pitching staff shut Villanova down. Early on, BIG EAST Preseason Pitcher of the Year Mason Christopher prevented the Wildcats from adding to their lead before graduate right-handed closer John Higgins finished up SHU’s first win season with two scoreless innings, ending the game with a double play. In addition to allowing no runs after the fourth inning, the Pirates only allowed two hits throughout the remainder of the contest.
The second game saw The Hall’s offense put up more runs than in the first contest.
In the first inning, an error and an RBI by Montgomery helped Villanova jump out to a quick 2–0 lead.
However, the Pirates answered in the third inning for the first time. Following back-to-back singles from Manzo and junior infielder Shea Grady, Krieger delivered with a three-run home run to left field, putting the Pirates in front 3–2.
Then in the fourth inning, junior infielder Gabe Cavazzoni made Pirate Nation happy with an RBI double that plated Marini, putting SHU in front 4–2.
But then, Villanova rallied in the sixth inning with a three-run lead on a big swing by the Wildcats’ Giallusi. The Pirates tried to chip away in the seventh inning, scoring one run on a wild pitch. However, after that point, it was all Villanova. The Wildcats exploded for three runs, which included an RBI double from Montgomery.
In the bottom of the seventh, Scrivanic singled in a run and junior infielder Nick Tomasetto drove in a run with a groundout. But the Wildcats tacked on some insurance with two runs in the eighth and ninth innings, including an RBI home run from Quintano.
Next up for the Pirates is Lehigh at home on April 29.
Colin Comerford is a writer for The Setonian’s Sports Section. He can be reached at colin.comerford@student.shu.edu.
