Seton Hall began Big East play against Butler this weekend, losing two of their three games from the weekend's series.
The Pirates opened the scoring in the second inning of Saturday's series-opening game, scoring off a Jaiden Tate RBI double. The bases were loaded, but the Pirates were only able to add in one extra run off a walk by Darby Pandolfo.
The Bulldogs took advantage of Seton Hall’s pitching struggles by adding a run in the fourth followed by a two-run homer by Mackenzie Griman in the fifth inning that put them up 3-2
Hailey Arteaga drove in a run with a fielders’ choice in the fifth to tie the game at 3-3, but Butler added one run apiece in the sixth and seventh innings to go ahead 5-3. The Pirates tacked on a run in the seventh to cut the deficit to 5-4 on a single from Shelby Smith, but it was too little too late as Butler closed out the game and won 5-4.
The Bulldogs struck first in game two with a run at the top of the first inning, but the Pirates responded with a run of their own in the second on an RBI double by Smith. A run scored by each team in the third made this a 2-2 game, and it would remain this way up until the seventh inning when Butler struck for two runs off Smith and held on to win game two 4-2. Smith had nine strikeouts in her complete game outting.
Sunday's final game of the series was tight and contested to the end and finished in walk-off fashion.
The scoring began immediately with a run from Butler at the top of the first, but Seton Hall responded with a two-run single by Arteaga to pull ahead 2-1.
Pirate starter Kelsey Carr gave up a home run to Monique Hoosen in the second and only pitched two innings in total. Smith came in relief of Carr and pitched the remaining five innings. The Pirates went ahead 3-2 in the second as Baylee Allender scored on an errant throw after stealing third base.
However, Ricketts came through for Butler with a home run in the third that would put them up 4-3 until the Pirates tied the game at four in the sixth inning with an RBI double from Smith.
In a climactic seventh inning, Darby Pandolfo hit a clutch double and came around to score the winning run on Hailey Arteaga’s walk-off single. Seton Hall avoided the sweep with this 5-4 victory but fell in this series 1-2.
Seton Hall’s record now sits at 4-7, but they will look to get back in the win column against Fordham on Wednesday.
John Makuch can be reached at john.makuch@student.shu.edu.
