Seton Hall
The Pirates blast Fairleigh Dickinson early in 13-3 home opener win
Date: March 11, 2020By: Esmeralda Morales
The Seton Hall baseball team played on the newly renovated Mike Sheppard, Sr. Stadium at Owen T. Carroll Field against Fairleigh Dickinson winning 13-3 on Wednesday.
The game started off with a ceremony honoring the Sheppard family, who holds the namesake of the stadium. Head Coach Rob Sheppard called today a special day and said, “It’s a great feeling and it was really nice to have an opening like this.”
For the Pirates Tyler Burnham got the start. Burnham looked good in his three innings for the Pirates allowing only one hit and four strikeouts. Three of the four strikeouts coming when Burnham struck out the side in the top of the second inning.
On the offensive side, the Pirates bats came alive early in the game. After back to back walks to Tyler Shedler-McAvoy and Christian Del Castillo, Casey Dana doubled to left field putting the Pirates up 2-0. Bobby Pigozzi, who started the game for the Knights, would then walk Connor Hood and David Haberman making the bases loaded. Pigozzi would then face Jerry Huntzinger, walking him as well to score Dana. Huntzinger would be the last Pirate Pigozzi faced in the game.
During his time on the mound, Pigozzi faced six hitters allowing one hit and five runs, all earned. Pigozzi walked a total of five batters and was unable to record an out. Jesse Bloom came into the game for relief hoping to keep the Knights in the game. The Knights would finally get some offensive production in the top of the sixth. Rossario Maertz hit a triple to right field to get things started. Justin Sierra would then hit a line drive single scoring Maertz.
A scary moment for Seton Hall Pitcher Alex Nicolosi as he was taken out of the game after being hit by Maertz’s line drive on his right hand, which is his throwing hand. Coach Sheppard said that Nicolosi will get some images done on his hand. He also said that they knew right away they would have to go to the bullpen. Fairleigh Dickinson would score two more runs on a two out single by Jake Ellowitz in the sixth. This would be the end of the Knights scoring for game. They would ultimately fall to the Pirates, 13-3.
After the game Coach Sheppard said, “We want to see more of the same, we’ve got good pitching with good defense behind it,” regarding what he would like to see the team continue on into the next series.
The Pirates will return to the diamond on Friday at 4 pm to play the first game of a three-game series against the Sacred Heart Pioneers. John Makuch and Angelique McKenzie will have the call for the game on 89.5 FM WSOU.
Esmeralda Morales can be reached at esmeralda.morales@student.shu.edu.
