FORTIN, PIRATES STUN XAVIER WITH FIVE-RUN NINTH
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Box Score
CINCINNATI, OHIO – Senior
Matt Fortin (Nashua, N.H.) doubled home the tying runs with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to spur a five-run offensive outburst as the Seton Hall baseball team rallied to defeat Xavier, 6-3, on Friday.
The Pirates seemed destined for the same fate that met them the night prior, solid pitching, but a lack of offense which led to a close loss. For eight innings, that was the script. Xavier grabbed an early lead with a single run off Seton Hall starter
Zach Prendergast (Horsham, Pa.) in the bottom of the third. The Pirates got the run back in the top of the fourth after
Al Molina (Freehold, N.J.) doubled and scored thanks to a pair of Xavier errors.
Xavier retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run home run by Matt Fallon to give them a 3-1 edge.
Turning Point:
The Pirates led off the ninth inning with back-to-back walks by
Matt Toke (Three Bridges, N.J.) and
Mike Caputo (Morganville, N.J.). With two outs and runners on the corners, Fortin laced a double past a diving left fielder, which scored the tying runs. Junior
Ryan Ramiz (Freehold, N.J.), hobbled after fouling a pitch off his ankle Thursday night, followed with a single through the left side to score Fortin with the go-ahead run.
Tyler Shedler-McAvoy (Allendale, N.J.) gave the Pirates a 6-3 lead with a two-run home run, the first of his young career, over the left-center field fence.
Inside the Numbers:
- Prendergast allowed three runs over four innings in a no decision.
- The Seton Hall bullpen allowed just one hit over the final five innings of the game.
- Fortin went 4-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored.
- Junior Zach Schellenger (Malvern, Pa.) earned the victory with two innings of scoreless relief. He struck out four batters.
- Senior Joe Poduslenko (Glen Mills, Pa.) reached base three times, going 1-for-2 with two walks.
- Senior Ryan Testani (Shelton, Conn.) earned his third save of the season with a perfect ninth inning.
- Molina went 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored.
- Junior Matt Leon (Bethlehem, Pa.) tossed two hitless innings of relief.
- Seton Hall left five men on base, while Xavier left seven.
News & Notes:
- Shedler-McAvoy's home run is the 12th for the Pirates in 2017.
- This is the first time the Pirates have trailed in the ninth inning before winning since coming back to defeat No. 2 Florida in the first game of a doubleheader on March 11.
- Seton Hall has committed more than one error only once in its last 13 games.
- The Hall improves to 12-3 when out-hitting its opponent.
- Fortin's four-hit game is the first for a Pirate since Joe Poduslenko went 4-for-5 at San Diego State on Feb. 25.
- Seton Hall improves to 7-5 all-time against Xavier.
Next Up:
Seton Hall will conclude its three-game series at Xavier tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for Noon.
WINNING PITCHER
ZACH SCHELLENGER
(2-0)
LOSING PITCHER
TREY SCHRAMM
(1-3)
0.2 IP, 5 ER
LINE SCORE
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
SETON HALL (16-15, 2-3) 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 5
6 9 1
Xavier (19-16, 2-3) 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
3 7 2
http://www.shupirates.com/news/2017...-pirates-stun-xavier-with-five-run-ninth.aspx