Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Seton Hall
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Baseball Falls to Seton Hall in Final Tune-Up Before Ivy League Play, 6-5
March 24, 2015 | Baseball
BOX SCORE
WEST ORANGE, N.J. – In its final tune-up before opening Ivy League play against Brown this weekend, the Princeton University baseball team dropped a heartbreaking 6-5 loss to in-state rival Seton Hall at Owen T. Carroll Field.
Trailing 3-2 in the top of the ninth, the Tigers loaded the bases with two outs, setting the stage for Paul Tupper, who came up with a clutch RBI single. A pair of Pirate errors on the play also allowed two more runs to come home, giving Princeton a 5-3 cushion. Seton Hall answered with three runs in the bottom half of the frame, walking off on a Tyler Boyd infield single that plated D.J. Ruhlman.
Jumping out to an early lead, Seton Hall pushed across a run in the bottom of the first. Alex Falconi got things started by lacing a one-out triple to right center. With two outs, Sal Annunziata came up with a big base-knock, singling in Falconi.
Kick-starting the Tiger offense in the top of the fourth, Danny Hoy ripped a leadoff triple to left center. Peter Owens followed with a sacrifice fly to left, plating the tying run. In Princeton's half of the seventh, the Tigers pulled in front, thanks to a two-out Hoy RBI double that scored Billy Arendt.
Coming right back in the bottom of the frame, the Pirates once again knotted things up. Jackson Martin got the rally started by reaching on a fielding error before stealing second. Moving to third on a Derek Jenkins bunt single, Martin later scored on a Zack Weigel ground ball to short. The following frame, Seton Hall took the lead with an Annunziata solo shot over the left centerfield wall.
Hoping to spark a Princeton comeback in the top of the ninth, Danny Baer drew a leadoff walk. Coming in to pitch for Chris Morris, Joe DiBenedetto issued a free pass to Arendt to put runners on first and second with no out.
Recording the first out by fanning Zack Belski, DiBenedetto got Hoy to fly out to right. With Baer moving to third on the fly ball, DiBenedetto hit Owens to load the bases. Tupper followed with a big RBI single, and two Seton Hall errors on the play cleared the bases to make it 5-3.
Looking to shut the door on the Pirates, Kevin Thomsen struck out Jenkins before inducing a Weigel ground out to second. After Falconi drew a walk, Grimm belted an RBI double to right centerfield. Ruhlman followed with a single to left, bringing in the tying run. After an Annunziata walk put two aboard, Boyd legged out an infield single, allowing Ruhlman to score the game winner.
Thomsen took the loss allowing three runs (two earned) in the ninth. Nick Donatiello lasted four innings in the start, giving up one run on two hits. Tyler Foote tossed two shutout innings in relief, surrendering just one hit.
Hoy finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and run scored, while Nick Hernandez was 2-for-5. Arendt went 2-for-2 with three walks and two runs scored, while Belski and Tupper accounted for the rest of the Tigers' nine hits.
Seton Hall starter Anthony Pacillo allowed two runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings while striking out seven. Annunziata and Boyd each went 2-for-4, combining for three RBI and a run scored.