Francis Prior. Photos by Rich Morris/courtesy of SHP.
WEST ORANGE, NJ – The Seton Hall Prep varsity baseball team won four games last week to raise its record to 17-2, including winning the last 11 games.
On Saturday, May 6, the second-seeded Pirates defeated No. 15 seed Cedar Grove, 9-1, in the first round of the 85th Greater Newark Tournament at Porcello Field. Nick Maldonado (5-0) pitched a complete game, allowing one unearned run on six hits with six strikeouts. Designated hitter Michael Gaudioso was 3-for-4 with three RBI, Francis Prior was 2-for-3 with three RBI, Mike Ukrainskyj was 2-for-4 with one RBI while Jack Zyska and Maldonado each drove in a run when they walked with the bases loaded.
SHP, the four-time defending GNT champion, will host No. 7 seed Verona on Thursday, May 11, in the quarterfinal round.
The Pirates opened up the week on Monday, May 1, with a 6-0 home win over Columbia. West Orange resident Jamil Vanheyningen (3-1) pitched six innings, allowing one hit while striking out nine and walking one. Ukrainskyj was 2-for-2 with three RBI, Prior was 2-for-2 driving in one run, and Zyska drove in a run with an infield groundout.
The next day, the Pirates hosted Montclair and won 11-0 in six innings. Kevin Young (4-0) pitched a complete game, allowing three hits, striking out five and walking one. Kevin Gately was 2-for-2 with four RBI, Prior was 2-for-4 with three RBI, including a solo home run, Ryan Hebert was 2-for 3 with one RBI, and Zyska and Eric Raio each had RBI singles.
On Thursday, May 4, the Pirates traveled to Mendham to take on Mendham HS and defeated them, 9-1. Jack Mahala (4-0) pitched a complete game, allowing one run on two hits with 6 strikeouts. Maldonado had a two-run single, Eric Vaz was 2-for-4 with an RBI, Ukrainskyj had a solo home run, Zyska had an RBI sac fly, Gately walked with the bases loaded, and Raio had an RBI squeeze bunt.
Since 1971, SHP and Verona have met five times in GNT play.
The following are those results:
1986: First round, Verona, 4-3.
2005: Semifinals, SHP, 3-1.
2010: First round, SHP, 7-2.
2014: Quarterfinals,SHP, 7-2.
2016: Quarterfinals, SHP, 5-1
Previous meetings this season.
April 19, at Porcello Field, SHP, 8-0.
April 29, at Doc Goeltz Field, SHP, 3-1.
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