Seton Hall Prep baseball team no-hits Newark Academy, rallies to beat Millburn

Seton Hall Prep’s Nick DeNicola watches after hitting a pitch at the plate during the comeback win over Millburn. Photo by Rich Morris/courtesy of SHP.
Seton Hall Prep’s Nick DeNicola watches after hitting a pitch at the plate during the comeback win over Millburn.
Photo by Rich Morris/courtesy of SHP.

WEST ORANGE – The Seton Hall Prep varsity baseball team defeated Newark Academy in a no-hitter before beating Millburn in come-from-behind fashion to improve to a 3-0 record.

The Pirates defeated Newark Academy, 13-0, in six innings April 6 at the Kelly Athletic Complex.

Freshman right-hander Nick Maldonado and junior right-hander Christian Bascunan combined on a no-hitter. Maldonado threw five innings with nine strikeouts and one walk, and Bascunan pitched the final inning with three strikeouts.

SHP scored seven runs in the second inning. Senior Nick DeNicola had a sacrifice fly to center; senior Justin Miller hit a three-run homer to right field; senior Brenden Weiss had a two-run double and senior Ryan Toohers hit a RBI double.

The Pirates increased the lead to 9-0 with two runs in the fourth inning on a RBI double by senior Patrick O’Hare, who later scored on an error. Junior MIke Ukrainskyj hit a grand slam to left field to close out the scoring.

SHP rallied to defeat Millburn, 6-5, April 8, at Millburn High School.

Millburn scored four runs in the first inning before SHP scored two in the top of the second on a RBI double by Miller and a RBI single by junior Francis Prior.

Millburn scored an unearned run in the third inning to make it 5-2. SHP scored two runs in the fourth inning to cut it to 5-4 when senior John Savino had a RBI double and scored on DeNicola’s single to left field.

In the fifth inning, SHP took the lead on a bases-loaded walk by Toohers and a RBI fielder’s choice by O’Hare.

Senior right-hander Brendan Shamieh (2-0) picked up the victory, allowing five runs, one earned, on seven hits and one walk, and striking out four over four innings. Junior right-hander Jamil Vanheyningen of West Orange earned the save, pitching the final three innings of one-hit ball with four strikeouts.

The Pirates’ road game against Bloomfield on April 4 was rained out. The game will be rescheduled for May 11 at 4 p.m. The game against Morristown on April 9 on the road was rained out, with no rescheduled date yet announced.