Rider Tops Pirates On Wednesday, 5-4

Tuesday, April 23

South Orange, N.J.

4 p.m.

Seton Hall University

19-21

Rider

20-16

Rider

Seton Hall

4/23/2024 8:19:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

South Orange, N.J. - Seton Hall trailed early against Rider but came back to make it a one-run game in the seventh inning but it wasn't enough as the Broncs came out on top against the Pirates, 5-4, at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

Zack Sylvester (Montville, N.J.) went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and reached base three times in four plate appearances. Danny Melnick (Hamilton, N.J.) had a two-run double and Aiden Robbins (Yardley, Pa.) went 2-for-4 with an RBI. The Pirates saw strong bullpen appearances from Nate Espelin (Belmont, Mass.) who struck out four in three scoreless innings and Michael Gillen (Rochelle Park, N.J.) fanned two in a perfect eighth inning.

How It Happened

Seton Hall fell behind 3-0 after the top of the first inning but the Pirates responded two runs in the home half. With two outs, Sylvester got the rally started with a base hit to left field before moving first to third on a single by Cole Zak (Cleveland, Ohio). After Zak stole second base, Melnick roped a double to left center field that scored both runners and cut Seton Hall's deficit to one, 3-2.

Both sides went down in order in the second before the Broncs loaded the bases in the third inning and drew walk that extended their lead to 4-2. A solo home run for Rider in the top of the fifth inning put the score at 5-2. Espelin entered the game out of the bullpen in the top of the sixth and recored two strikeouts in a scoreless frame. The Pirates lifted him by using timely two-out hitting once again. With Sylvester at third, Robbins delivered a single up the middle on a 2-0 pitch that trimmed the Pirates' deficit to two, 5-3.

Espelin blanked the Broncs again in the seventh and an RBI groundout by Casey Cumiskey (Milltown, N.J.) in the home half plated Pat D'Amico (Lynnfield, Mass.) and made it a one-run game, 5-4. Despite putting runners on in the eighth and ninth innings, the Pirates weren't able to tie the score and extend the game.

Up Next

Seton Hall will be back at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Stadium tomorrow afternoon when the Pirates host Columbia at 4 p.m.