Story Links
April 7 - 9, 2017
South Orange, N.J. - Owen T. Carroll Field
BUTLER (19-8, 0-0) at SETON HALL (14-12, 0-0)
Date Seton Hall
Probable Starter Butler
Probable Starter Live
Video Live
Audio Live
Stats Twitter
Friday,
April 7
4:00 p.m.
ZACH PRENDERGAST
(4-1, 3.38 ERA)
RHP Jeff Schank
(3-1, 1.12 ERA)
LHP
LIVE
STATS @SHUBaseball
.
Saturday,
April 8
1:00 p.m.
CULLEN DANA
(1-3, 4.17 ERA)
LHP Ryan Pepiot
(3-0, 2.70 ERA)
RHP
LIVE
STATS @SHUBaseball
.
Sunday,
April 9 Noon
SHANE MCCARTHY
(1-5, 5.89 ERA)
RHP Connor Mitchell
(2-2, 3.32 ERA)
LHP
LIVE
STATS @SHUBaseball
.
PREVIEW:
Seton Hall will return to action this weekend and begin the BIG EAST portion of its schedule with a three-game series against Butler at Owen T. Carroll Field. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
Last weekend, the Pirates dropped two of three games against LIU-Brooklyn at Owen T. Carroll Field. The Pirates got the series started on the right foot with a convincing 10-2 victory behind a seven-run sixth inning in game one of Saturday's doubleheader. Joe Poduslenko hit a three-run home run and Zach Prendergast allowed only two runs over six strong innings and matched his career-high with eight strikeouts. In game two however, The Hall fell to the Blackbirds, 6-2. Both Poduslenko and Mikael-Ali Mogues hit solo home runs in the loss. On Sunday, LIU-Brooklyn edged Seton Hall, 2-1. Shane McCarthy allowed two unearned runs over 6.1 innings with seven strikeouts.
On Wednesday, Seton Hall downed Wagner, 9-2. Mogues had three RBIs.
SERIES INFORMATION:
This will be the fourth all-time series between Seton Hall and Butler. The Bulldogs won two of three games in the first two series in 2014 and 2015, but the Pirates swept the 2016 series and own a 5-4 all-time lead in games. The teams had never met prior to Butler joining the BIG EAST in 2014. This is the second time the Pirates have hosted the Bulldogs for a series. Last year, the Pirates batted .317 as a team in three games against Butler. Shane McCarthy allowed just one earned run over seven innings. Cullen Dana gave up only two earned runs over eight innings.
Butler enters this weekend with a record of 19-8. They've been the surprise of the conference so far as they were predicted to finish last in the BIG EAST. Most recently, the Bulldogs lost to Eastern Michigan, 4-0, on Sunday, which snapped an eight-game win streak. Seton Hall and Butler have not had any common opponents yet this year. The Bulldogs enter the weekend with an RPI of 144.
THINGS TO KNOW:
PIRATES GROUND SEAHAWKS
Seton Hall's offense erupted for nine runs on 11 hits in a 9-2 victory over Wagner on Wednesday. Mikael-Ali Mogues went 2-for-2 with three RBIs, while Ryan Ramiz reached base four times and scored four runs. Billy Layne, Jr. got the win in relief.
2100 WINS
Seton Hall's 9-2 victory over Wagner on Wednesday was the 2,100st win in program history. The Pirates are 2,100-1,322-24 all-time.
SUNDAY'S GAME ON BEDN
Sunday's contest against Butler at Owen T. Carroll Field will be broadcast by the BIG EAST Digital Network and shown on the Fox Sports Go app. First pitch is scheduled for Noon.
HOT PIRATES
Junior Rob Dadona has hit safely in his last six games, while Mikael-Ali Mogues has a hit in his last five games. Both Pirates have spearheaded an offensive attack that has batted .305 as a team over the last five games. Both Dadona and Mogues are an identical 7-for-18 (.389) over that span.
IMPROVED DEFENSE
After getting off to a difficult start of the season defensively, the Pirates have improved dramatically as of late. Seton Hall has committed more than one error only once in its last eight games. It has had no errors in three of its last four games.
PODUSLENKO HONOR ROLL
Senior Joe Poduslenko was named to the BIG EAST Baseball Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. Poduslenko hit a home run in three consecutive games, driving in a total of 10 RBIs last week. On Wednesday vs. Princeton, Poduslenko went 2-for-5 with a grand slam and five RBIs.
PIRATES AGAINST LIU
Seton Hall dropped two of a three games at Owen T. Carroll Field last weekend against LIU-Brooklyn. In game one of a doubleheader on Saturday, The Hall used a seven-run sixth inning and strong pitching by Zach Prendergast to down the Blackbirds, 10-2. In game two, LIU-Brooklyn won, 6-2. The Blackbirds took the finale on Sunday, 2-1.
PODUSLENKO'S POWER
Senior Joe Poduslenko has found his power stroke. The third baseman hit home runs in three consecutive games last week and now has five for the season, which is already a new career high. Poduslenko now leads the Pirates in both on-base percentage (.422) and slugging percentage (.506).
NEON LEON
Junior Matt Leon turned in one of his finest relief performances ever in game two of a doubleheader against LIU-Brooklyn on Saturday. The right-hander retired all seven batters he faced, five of which via strikeout. His earned run average is down to 1.42 for the season.
NATION'S BEST
Senior Ryan Testani is amongst the nation's best relief pitchers. The right-hander has allowed only one run over 25.2 innings pitched, which is a 0.35 earned run average, which ranks third-best in the country. He has made a team-best 14 appearances.
FREE PIRATE SPORTS NETWORK
For the first time, all baseball broadcasts, both video and audio, will be free of charge on the Pirates Sports Network at SHUpirates.com. All home games will have a free live video stream, while select away contests will have a free live audio stream.
For news, lineups, game action and results, be sure to follow Seton Hall baseball all season long via twitter - @SHUbaseball.