WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Seton Hall Prep baseball team won three games last week to extend its winning streak to 12 games and improve to 18-2-1 on the season.
The Pirates defeated West Essex and Caldwell to advance to the Greater Newark Tournament championship game. They will face the top-seeded Livingston High School Lancers in the GNT final at Doc Goeltz field in Verona at noon.
SHP, the No. 2 seed, hosted No. 7 seed West Essex in the GNT quarterfinals on Wednesday, May 8, at Porcello Field and defeated the Knights, 7-0.
Roman Baldwin (3-1) pitched five innings, allowing four hits with two strikeouts. Lucas Fernandez threw the final two innings with two strikeouts.
William Garrett had an RBI single in the third inning to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. In the fourth inning, JJ Drennan had a two-run single and William Mahala singled and scored on a wild pitch, as the Pirates extended their lead to 4-0.
In the sixth inning, Vincent Mariniello had a two-run single and Michael Bravette had an RBI fielder’s choice for the Pirates’ final three runs.
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, May 11, Seton Hall defeated No. 6 seed Caldwell, 5-2, in the semifinals at Porcello Field.
The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Santino Czarecki singled, went to second on a wild pitch and later scored when a Pirate runner was caught in a run-down.
After Caldwell tied the score in the top of the second, Seton Hall broke the score when Mariniello doubled into the right-field corner, making it 2-1.
Mahala made the score 3-1 with a solo home run to right field.
In the fourth inning, Mahala had an RBI single and Mariniello doubled and later scored on a wild pitch.
The Pirates will be making their 28th GNT final, seeking their 19th title. This is the 13th meeting between Livingston and SHP in the GNT since 1971. Livingston holds a 7-5 lead in the previous meetings.
To begin the week, the Pirates defeated Ridge High School, 12-2, in five innings at Pocello Field on Monday, May 6.
Andrew Hladik improved to 5-0, pitching a complete game, as he allowed two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk. He also hit two batters.
The offense was led by Henry Ayers, who was 3-for-3 with three RBI. Garrett was 2-for-3 with three RBI, and Jordan Burwell and William Mahala both drove in two runs.
Photo Courtesy of Seton Hall Prep
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