SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Off the back of two home runs and a complete game form Kelsey Carr, the Pirates (7-9, 1-0 BIG EAST) claimed victory in their BIG EAST opener against Georgetown (8-6, 0-1 BIG EAST), 5-3, at Mike Sheppard Sr. Field.

How It Happened
On a blustery North Jersey afternoon, The Pirates opened BIG EAST play as strong as the wind blowing around the field. In her final BIG EAST opener in the circle, Kelsey Carr mowed down the Hoyas with a 1-2-3 first inning before heading to the plate in the bottom of the frame. With Katey Brennan at first after a leadoff single, Carr jumped on the first pitch she got from the Hoyas over the centerfield wall. With that, Carr and the Pirates found themselves up 2-0 at the end of the first inning.

Back on the mound with a lead, Carr continued to dominate a power-heavy Georgetown lineup. At the end of three innings, she had struck out three and was yet to allow a baserunner. In the bottom of the third, the Pirates once again found a streak of power. This time, after Brennan was hit by a pitch to open the inning, Taylor Hill drove her own two-run home run over the centerfield wall to put The Hall up 4-0 through three innings.

It took tuntil the top of the fourth for Carr to stumble, allowing two runs after a collection of early-inning extra-base hits found their way across home plate, reducing the Pirates' lead to 4-2. Yet, despite that blow, the Pirates offense remained resilient and fired back. After a highly-competitive at-bat lead to a walk for freshman Angelina Benitez, it was Brennan making a difference once again. The reigning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year narrowly blooped a single into shallow right field, which allowed Benitez to score all the way from first and put the home squad up 5-2.

While the Pirates offense stalled in the final innings, Carr continued to power the Pirates in the circle. As the seventh inning arrived, the Pirates clung to a 5-2 lead. Only three outs separated them from victory in their BIG EAST opener. A leadoff single complicated matters for the Pirates when a two-out double scored the runner, making it a 5-3 game. Sitting one out away from victory and with the tying runner at the plate, Carr got the Hoyas to line out to right field, securing Seton Hall the 5-3 victory in the BIG EAST opener.

News & Notes

• With the win, head coach Angie Churchillmoves to 2-2 in BIG EAST openers with the Pirates.
  • The Pirates have 10 wins in their last 12 games against Georgetown.
• Carr recorded her seventh win and sixth home run of the season.
  • This was Carr's eight game in the last nine reaching base safely
• Hill recorded her first home run of the season.
• With two runs scored today, Brennan reached a team-high 15 runs scored on the season.
  • It was also her seventh consecutive game with a hit.

What's Next
The Pirates will continue their series against Georgetown on Saturday, March 8, with their second game of the series at Essex County Mike Sheppard Sr. Field. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.