Pirates’ Struggles Continue in Series with Saint Joe’s

Published: Monday, March 10, 2025

by Matt Nazario

The Seton Hall Pirates (5-9) left their road trip with more questions than answers as the Saint Joseph’s Hawks (5-9) took two of three games in this weekend series.

Friday’s contest in Philadelphia was a thriller. After trailing 7-2, the Pirates showed resilience, posting five runs in the top of the ninth inning. However, the Hawks responded with late-game heroics of their own—tying the game at 9 before walking it off in extra innings, capitalizing on a costly wild pitch by Jordan Marot.

First baseman Joey Gale was pivotal for the Hawks in the 10-9 win, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

It was a frustrating loss for Seton Hall, which couldn’t fully capitalize on three Saint Joseph’s errors.

Saturday was another rough outing for Seton Hall’s pitching corps. With three different pitchers allowing three or more runs, the game was even more lopsided than the day before as the Pirates fell 10-5 to the Hawks. It marked the fifth game this season in which Seton Hall allowed five or more runs.

The afternoon underscored the glaring inconsistencies the Pirates have on both sides of the diamond — issues fans can only hope will resolve over time.

The saying “home is where the heart is” rang true Sunday afternoon as the Pirates secured a much-needed 5-3 bounce-back win in their return to South Orange.

Looking ahead, the performance provided a boost of confidence on the defensive end, with the team allowing just three runs after surrendering 10 in each of the previous two games.

After issuing three walks, John Downing was lights out for the Hall. He earned his third win of the season, tossing three scoreless innings with two strikeouts to help shut down the Hawks and preserve the lead.

Despite glaring issues with defensive miscues and pitching depth, Seton Hall showed impressive resilience in high-pressure moments during both its Friday and Sunday games, mounting thrilling late-inning comebacks. 

On Friday, the Pirates nearly erased a 7-2 deficit with a dramatic six-run rally, sparked by A.J. Soldra’s solo home run in the top of the ninth. Then on Sunday, four of their five runs came in the eighth inning, sealing a comeback win.

After a sluggish start to the season, Seton Hall looks to remain undefeated on their home turf Tuesday afternoon as they are set to host the NJIT Highlanders (6-8). Kyle Ferreira and Chris Jones will have the call on WSOU.net. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Matt Nazario can be reached at matthew.nazario@student.shu.edu. 

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