Pirates Fall to Wagner at Home

(Photo: SHU Athletics)

By: Dalton Allison

(South Orange, NJ)- On a windy day on the campus of Seton Hall University, the visiting Wagner Seahawks got their first win over Seton Hall since 2010 by a score of 4-2.

Tyler Burnham took the mound for the Pirates against Wagner. Entering the game, Burnham had a solid 2-0 record. This game however would get off to an intriguing start.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the first inning, Kyle Cala lined a ball to center field, and it appeared that Tyler Shelder-McAvoy had made a sliding catch to end the inning. Upon further discussion amongst the umpires though, the call was overturned. Pirates head coach Rob Shepard went on to dispute the call, and the game would be played under protest.

The score of the game would remain 1-0 until the bottom of the second inning, when Seton Hall struck back. After stealing third, Ryan Ramiz was driven home by Connor Hood on a sacrifice ground out. The Pirates would strand a runner on base, but the score was leveled at 1-1.

The tie wouldn't last very long, as the Seahawks opened up their offense in the top of the third. It started with a Sean Mazzio walk to open the inning, and then a hit by pitch put another runner on base for Wagner. Cala struck again for Wagner, driving this time a definitive single to drive in a run.

At that point, trailing 2-1, Burnham began to lose his grip on what was happening in the game. With a runner on third and Cala on first, Burnham balked. This gave the Seahawks a 3-1 advantage. A few pitches later, Cala was caught in the middle of a run down, but Burnham threw the ball into the outfield, allowing Cala to go all the way home and increase the lead to 4-1.

In the following innings, Noah Thompson came into relieve Burnham, and did a fantastic job. Over three innings, he struck out four while only walking one.

The Pirates would only be able to salvage one more run on the day, and it would come in the sixth. After Ramiz doubled and stole third, Nick Dabrio grounded him home to make the score 4-2, which would end up being the final.

Burnham suffered his first loss of the season, while Wagner starter Mike Pirrotta earned his first victory. Seton Hall fell to 9-12-1 on the season, while the Seahawks improved to 16-10. The Pirates will play Farleigh Dickinson on Sunday in a double header, starting at 3 p.m. at Owen T. Carroll Field.

Dalton Allison can be reached at dalton.allison@student.shu.edu.