TicketsMay 10, 2008
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J.---Seton Hall starter Sean Black allowed Cincinnati just four hits in eight-plus innings of work, helping the Pirates salvage a doubleheader split with the Bearcats, 5-2, on Saturday at Owen T. Carroll Field.
After solving Pirate ace Corey Young in a game one victory, the Bearcats (31-19, 15-8 BIG EAST) struggled against Black in the nightcap of the twinbill. The setback ruined another quality start turned in by sophomore lefty Brian Garman. After beating Rutgers in his first-ever BIG EAST start last Sunday, Garman worked into the seventh inning against the Pirates, allowing just three runs and six hits.
Black was the difference maker for Seton Hall (29-19, 14-9 BIG EAST) as the sophomore allowed two runs on four hits, with three walks and three strikeouts. He yielded to Keith Cantwell with the bases loaded and no one out in the ninth, allowing Cantwell to secure his fourth save of the year.
The Pirates struck first as Edward Brown led the fourth inning off with a home run to left field. Cincinnati got the run right back in the fifth as Ryan Baker matched Brown's feat with a solo blast, his seventh of the year, to left.
Innings six through eight saw the Pirates pull away with single runs in the sixth and seventh and a two-spot in the eighth. The sixth inning started with Dan Lopez doubling down the left field line and moving to third on a ground out. After Garman struck out Brown, Mark Pappas knocked a single through the right side to score Lopez. One inning later, Matt Smedberg led off with a double and was standing on third with one out when Matt Heber relieved Garman on the mound. The first hitter Heber faced, Chris Fontenelli lifted a sacrifice fly to center that made it 3-1 in favor of the hosts.
Pappas and Smedberg each added RBI in the ninth, with Pappas' coming on a bunt single and Smedberg's on an RBI single to left center.
In the ninth, UC chased Black with two singles and a walk that loaded the bases with no one out. After Cantwell spelled Black on the hill, Josh Harrison brought UC within 5-2 with a sacrifice fly, but the Pirate reliever got Mike Spina to fly out and Cameron Satterwhite to line out to end the game.
Seton Hall, which finished with 10 hits, got two each from A.J. Rusbarsky, Pappas, Smedberg and Lopez. No UC player had more than one hit in the defeat.
The rubber game of the series is set for an 11 a.m. first pitch on Sunday.