Pirates Drop Both Ends of Doubleheader to Creighton

By: Chris Russo

Although there was enough sun to bring out Pirate fans, Seton Hall dropped both ends of a twin-bill doubleheader to the Creighton Blue Jays, but one game brought a lot more excitement than the other one.

In the front half of the afternoon, it was a pitchers' duel between Seton Hall's Reganne Camp and Creighton's Kiele Miller.

Miller was the only pitcher to allow an earned run in the game, yet still recorded the victory due to a pair of mishaps at first base for the Pirates.

Ashley Cantu singled off Camp to lead off the ballgame, and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Sam Crowley. Mileah McKelvy stepped to the plate and ripped a ground ball to first that Baylee Allender let slip through her legs, allowing Cantu to score.

In the fifth, Camp retired the first two batters, and Cantu returned to the plate, grounding one to the left side of the infield. A good throw popped in and out of Allender's glove, keeping the inning alive. The Blue Jays pounced immediately thereafter with an RBI Triple by Sam Crawley.

Kiele Miller countered with what was a complete game shutout until late in the final inning. One out away from victory, Miller surrendered a solo home run by Darby Pandolfo. Janae Barracato worked Miller 3-0, but swung at high pitches on 3-0 and 3-1 before striking out to hand Creighton a 2-1 win.

The second game was very rarely in doubt, as Madison Strunk allowed eight earned runs in 1 1/3 innings in Creighton's 12-4 win.

Two Blue Jays scored in the first, but Pirates pitching allowed eight hits, including seven in a row, in the second frame.

The Pirates rallied for four runs in the fourth after Creighton's Logan Black retired the first ten batters. Peyton Beaver hit a two-run blast to get on the board, and The Hall scored two more on three consecutive walks and a single.

Mo Sobel pitched well in relief, allowing only one earned run, but three unearned runs came home in the fifth when Alexis Walkden threw Sam Crawley's sacrifice bunt down the right field line for a "little league" three-run homer.

Head Coach Paige Smith admitted to doing her best Bill Belichick impression, simply saying "I think we need to do [everything besides pitching] better."

SHU hosts Creighton Sunday at Noon.

Chris Russo can be reached at crusso98@gmail.com.