TicketsApril 9, 2006
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J.---Cincinnati's offense was limited to just eight hits as Seton Hall swept a doubleheader from the Bearcats, clinching the BIG EAST series win on Sunday at Owen T. Carroll Field. Seton Hall was victorious in the twinbill by scores of 5-2 and 4-0. The defeats snap the Bearcats' five-game win streak and drop UC's 2006 record to 18-12 overall and 4-5 in BIG EAST play.
Freshman Dan Osterbrock provided one of the few highlights on the day for the Bearcats as he worked five shutout innings of relief in game two. Logan Parker had two hits in game one, while Nick Maragas and Adam Yeager collected hits in each of the games.
In the opener, Seton Hall (10-19, 4-8 BIG EAST) exploded for all five of its runs in the fourth inning to key the victory. Robbie Hine started the outburst when he ripped a triple to right center that scored a pair of runs. Mike Morano later added a sacrifice fly and Dan Lopez greeted reliever Sean Munninghoff with an RBI single that made it 4-0. Seton Hall rounded out its scoring when Matt Smedberg doubled to plate Lopez.
Cincinnati responded to the outburst in the sixth when Maragas led off with a double and eventually scored on a LaFringe Hayes single. The Bearcats struck again in the seventh when Parker tripled to deep center and scored on Jon DeLuca's sacrifice fly.
But the story of the game was Seton Hall's sophomore left-hander Casey Young, who went all the way in the seven-inning contest, allowing two runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts. He improved to 2-1 with the win. Kyle Rapp (1-4) took the loss for Cincinnati, leaving after 3.2 innings in which he allowed four runs on four hits.
The second game of the doubleheader was all Seton Hall, as it squelched countless Bearcat scoring opportunities, forcing UC to leave 11 runners on base. The Pirates took advantage of two errors by starting pitcher Nick Buscemi in the first inning to plate a pair of runs. Twice, Buscemi made errant pick off throws to first, with the second error allowing Lopez to score. Dan McDonald, SHU's starter on the mound, then helped himself by doubling to right for the second run of the inning.
Seton Hall put up what would prove to be the final two runs of the day in the fourth inning when Hine launched his first home run of the year, a two-run shot, to left field off of Buscemi.
Osterbrock kept UC in the game, though with five outstanding relief innings in which he walked just one and allowed three hits, while striking out four. McDonald (1-6) got the win, leaving after 6.2 shutout innings. Despite walking seven, McDonald also struck out seven and allowed only three hits. Buscemi (1-1) took the loss, leaving after three innings and allowing all four runs.
Cincinnati will be out to get back in the win column on Wednesday, when it opens a stretch of four home games in four days. Akron will be UC's mid-week opponents, with the Bearcats back in BIG EAST action next Thursday-Saturday, hosting Rutgers.