Pitt
Seton Hall
PANTHERS FALL 9-1 TO SETON HALL
5/18/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 18, 2007
PITTSBURGH - The Pitt baseball team (27-24, 15-10 Big East) fell 9-1 to the Pirates of Seton Hall (24-25, 8-15 Big East) in the final Big East series of the season.
"(SHU pitcher Dan) Merklinger had a great game," Pitt Head Coach Joe Jordano said. "This was his day. I expected Rob (Brant) to have a better game, but he just didn't have it today.
"We got in the hole early and it was really tough to get out of. It was especially disappointing considering our big win yesterday. I try to emphasize to the team to play every pitch."
Outfielder Peter Parise (SR/Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) came closer to breaking the Pitt all-time hits record as he went 3 for 4 on the day. Parise is now just three hits from breaking the Pitt record of 250 in a career.
Also going 3 for 4 on the day was Dan Williams (JR/Berwyn, Pa./Episcopal Academy), who scored the only run of the day. The duo combined for six of Pitt's nine hits on the day.
Rob Brant (JR/Mansfield, Pa./Mansfield) suffered the loss giving up nine runs, five earned, on 11 hits.
The Pirates attacked early, putting Pitt into a hole it would not be able to get out of. Seton Hall scored three in the first inning and added four in the second. Pitt chipped into the lead with a Jordan Herr (FR/Lancaster, Pa./Delaware) sac fly, driving in Williams for Pitt's lone run of the game.
Seton Hall added two runs in the third inning on a sacrifice fly and a single to center field, taking the 9-1 lead early in the contest. The remaining six inning were scoreless as the Pirates out-hit the Panthers 14-9.
Pitt will wrap up the regular season Saturday at noon against Seton Hall for Senior and Alumni Recognition Day at Trees Field. The Panthers are locked into the fourth seed for the Big East Championship, May 22-26 in Brooklyn, N.Y. at KeySpan Park. Pitt's opponent has yet to be determined.
