Xavier Gets By Pirates On Saturday, 6-5

Saturday, April 20

South Orange, N.J.

2 p.m.

Seton Hall University

18-20, 1-7

Xavier

20-18, 5-3

Xavier

Seton Hall

4/20/2024 11:38:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

South Orange, N.J. - Ryan Reich (Sellinsgrove, Pa.) was brilliant was again as he struck out nine batters and allowed just two hits and one run in a five-innings start and Cole Zak (Cleveland, Ohio) went 3-for-4 with three RBI but Seton Hall couldn't hold on to a late lead as Xavier got by the Pirates, 6-5, on Saturday afternoon at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Stadium.

Devin Hack (Somerville, N.J.) posted his third-consecutive multi-hit game and Michael Gillen (Rochelle Park, N.J.) tallied four strikeouts in three innings of relief work.

How It Happened

Reich struck out the side in order in the top of the first inning but ran into some trouble in the second. After striking out the first batter of the inning, Xavier would load the bases and draw a walk that scored the game's first run. Seton Hall answered in the home half where an RBI single by Zak scored Melnick from second base and tied the score up at 1-1.

After retiring the side in the top of the third, Reich sat down the next six Musketeers in succession that kept it a 1-1 ballgame. Anthony Ehly (Glenside, Pa.) came on in the top of the sixth and worked a 1-2-3 inning, setting the stage a crooked number for the Pirates in the bottom half. With runners on the corners and two outs, Melnick hit a sharp groundball that nearly got by the shortstop but was enough to plate Hack from third base, giving Seton hall a 2-1 lead. Pokrovsky followed with a base hit up the middle that scored Sylvester and made it 3-1 Pirates. Zak delivered the big hit with a bases-clearing double that scored two and pushed Seton Hall's advantage to 5-1.

Despite the big inning, Xavier answered with a five-run top half of the seventh inning where four runs were scored with two outs. Gillen blanked the Musketeers in the eighth and ninth innings and the Pirates put five runners on base in the final three frames but they ultimately weren't able to extend the game.

Up Next

The series finale between Seton Hall and Xavier will take place at 12 p.m. tomorrow at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Stadium. It's Sundae Sundays at The Shep where there will be free ice cream sundaes for fans while supplies last.