Seton Hall Prep baseball team keeps up its winning ways

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Seton Hall Prep baseball team had another great week, going 3-0 to raise its team record to 12-2-1 on the season, including 7-1-1 in the Super Essex Conference–American Division record to 7-1-1. 

On Monday, April 22, the Pirates hosted Nutley and defeated the Raiders, 11-1, in five innings. Junior right-hander Roman Baldwin (2-1) pitched a complete game, allowing one run on four hits with four strikeouts. The offense was led by junior William Mahala, who went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, two walks and three RBI. Sophomore JJ Drennan was 3-for-4 with two RBI; senior Peter Peluso was 3-for-3 with two RBI; and juniors Michael Bravette, William Garrett and sophomore Jordan Burwell each drove in one run.           

Two days later, the Pirates defeated visiting Caldwell, 8-1. Junior right-hander Marcelo Harsch (2-0) picked up the victory, pitching five innings and allowing one run on two hits with eight strikeouts and five walks. Senior left-hander Lucas Fernandez pitched the final two innings with four strikeouts. 

Garrett was 2-for-4 with two RBI, junior Henry Ayers was 2-for-4 with two RBI and Bravette, senior Vincent Mariniello and Burwell each drove in one run. Burwell’s run was on a solo home run in the fifth inning.

On Saturday, April 27, Old Bridge came to Porcello Field and the Pirates won, 6-3. Senior right-hander Andrew Hladik (4-0) picked up the victory, pitching 4 ⅓  innings and allowing three runs on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Fernandez pitched 1 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and one walk and Bravette picked up his third save of the season, pitching the seventh inning with one strikeout. 

The Pirates broke a scoreless tie with five runs in the third inning. The big hits were a two-run triple to right-center field by Bravette and an RBI double to right field by Garrett. Mahala blasted a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the fifth to increase the Pirate lead to 6-3 after Old Bridge scored three runs in the top of the fifth to cut the Pirate lead to 5-3.

On Monday, April 22, the Pirates were awarded the No. 2 seed in the 91st Greater Newark Tournament. They will host the winner of the No. 15 seed Glen Ridge vs. No. 18 seed St. Benedict’s on Friday, May 3, at 4 p.m.