Coming off two one-run losses in extra innings at Creighton, the Seton Hall baseball team looked more than hungry for a "W" on Friday evening. With six-time Big East Pitcher of the Week winner Josh Prevost on the mound, The Hall was in a good spot to begin with.
The senior right-hander did not steal the whole show, though. The bats did more than enough, putting up 11 runs in the first two innings and rolling to a 16-0 rout. Prevost surged to 11-1 on the spring, going seven scoreless innings while striking out four. The Musketeers only could find five hits off Pirate pitching, and after Prevost left a Xavier runner stranded at second in the first, the blue and white offense came alive.
After Derek Jenkins was hit by the first pitch he saw, Zack Weigel reached on a bunt single. Adam Hall could not find command, dealing two consecutive walks as the first of six runs came across in the first. The Pirates' D.J. Ruhlman showed why he carries a Big East best .384 batting average, ripping a two-run double following Sal Annunziata's walk to score the first run. Tyler Boyd kept the good times rolling with a two-run double of his own to follow up Ruhlman, and Chris Chiaradio capped off the barrage with a two-out RBI single.
Four batters into the second, the Pirates loaded up the bases again. Two-out hitting highlight The Hall's second explosion, with Jenkins coming up with a two-run single and Weigel bringing in a pair with a two-bagger. Hamlin added to his successful night with a two-run double to bring in Ruhlman and senior utility man John Beaubien, who ripped a pinch-hit double before coming in to score.
Jenkins, Weigel, and Ruhlman each finished 3-for-5 with eight combined RBI's. Hall only went 1 1/3 innings, giving up 10 earned. Jenkins stole his 32nd bag of the season, getting him within six of Seton Hall's all-time single season list (per Seton Hall athletics).
All in all, the blue and white put up 16 runs on 17 hits. Coming into the weekend in a tie for third place with the Musketeers, it's clear that SHU set the tone, but now the question becomes whether the starting rotation can come through.
Freshman lefty Anthony Pacillo gets the ball for game one of Saturday's doubleheader as Anthony Elia moves out of the rotation this weekend due to ongoing struggles. Pacillo carries a 4-0 record with a 2.62 ERA and will have to bring his A-game, most likely. Vinny Nittoli is expected to start for Xavier. The right-hander is 5-2 with a stellar 1.62 ERA, 47 Ks and just 12 walks. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. with game two to follow.
Stay tuned to twitter @John_Fanta and @SetonianSports for full updates on the Pirates.
