Seton Hall
Pirates fall victim to late inning heroics from Fresno State in the 11th inning
Date: March 4, 2020By: Madison Fruchter
After 11 innings, the Pirates fell to the Fresno State Bulldogs 5-4. Seton Hall entered this game with a 4-5 record coming off of a two-game losing streak, facing the Fresno State Bulldogs with an overall record of 7-4 and a powerful five-game winning streak.
The Pirates wasted no time when it came to scoring as they ended the first inning leading the Bulldogs, 1-0. Tyler Shedler-McAvoy and Christian Del Castillo’s back-to-back singles set up Casey Dana for an RBI single earning the Pirates their first run of the game. Christopher Shine took the mound for the Pirates in the bottom of the first allowing two walks and no hits for the Bulldogs.
Bulldogs pitcher Jake Harrell gave up three runs in the second inning with RBI singles coming from Devin Hack, Del Castillo and Dana. Though Steve Grober could not get home in time to score, Shedler-McAvoy closed the top of the second by earning the Pirates their fourth run of the game.
The Bulldogs answered back in bottom of the inning after Matt Otino scored their first run of the game followed by a two-run homerun by Ryan Higgins bringing in Andrew Kachel to leave the Bulldogs trailing the Pirates by one run.
The Pirates unable to score in the third allowed Zach Morgan to double down the in-field line before stealing third and home on wild pitches tying up the game for the Bulldogs. Jeff Jamison lined out to left field leaving two runners on base and closing out the third inning.
Great defensive efforts by both teams left innings four through nine without a change in score. The Pirates closed out the seventh with a close call after Kachel attempts to make it home but is thrown out after a single by Jamison.
A quiet game finally picked up in the bottom of the eleventh when Ryan Higgins singled to right center and eventually advanced to second after Nate Thimjon took a pitch to the foot. After breaking for home after the pitch, Higgins became caught in a chase down between David Haberman and Dana, eventually making it to an unmanned home plate. Higgins scored the Bulldogs’ fifth and final run to win the game, 5-4.
The Pirates take the field again on Thursday, March 5, at 5:00 p.m. at Saint Mary’s in Moraga, Calif.
Madison Fruchter can be reached at madison.fruchter@student.shu.edu.
