WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Seton Hall Prep baseball team went 3-1 last week to raise its record to 11-5 on the season. On Monday, April 25, the Pirates hosted Livingston and defeated the Lancers, 10-5. Senior Chris Maldonado hit two solo home runs and scored three runs, while senior Ryan Sprock hit a two-run homer and had a bases-loaded walk. Senior Matthew Monteleone hit a two-run homer, tripled, and scored on a sac fly by Alex Kim. Senior Sam Nomura had a sac fly RBI, and junior Elijah Foster drove in a run with an infield groundout. Senior lefty Nicholas Pomponio picked up the win in relief.
On Wednesday, April 28, the Pirates defeated Millburn, ranked No. 9 in New Jersey by the Star–Ledger, 2-1. Sprock (3-0) pitched six and two-thirds innings, allowing one run on three hits, with four strikeouts and four walks. Junior Andrew Merklinger picked up the save, retiring the only batter he faced on a fly ball to right field.
In the second inning, Sprock walked, went to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Nomura, went to third base on a single by senior Luke Mahala and scored on a sac fly to centerfield by senior Aaron Bertone.
After the score was tied up by Millburn in the fifth inning, the Pirates took the lead in the sixth inning when Nomura doubled into the left-field corner and Mahala drove him in with a single to left field.
Following the game, Mahala said about the hit, “It was a fastball. I knew I had to put the ball in play and find a hole, and I am glad I did.” When asked about his performance on the mound, Sprock said, “I felt good warming up. I knew that I needed to mix up my pitches against a very good Millburn team. I knew that I had to compete on every pitch.”
On Friday, April 29, Seton Hall defeated St. Joseph’s of Metuchen, ranked No. 3 in New Jersey, 2-1, when Sprock hit a walk-off home run to right field leading off the bottom of the seventh.
Senior John Cerwinski got a no-decision but pitched a very good five innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits, with nine strikeouts and four walks.
Junior James Macko picked up the win in relief, allowing no runs on one hit with four strikeouts. Following the game, Macko said, “I felt great out there. My goal was to keep the batters off balance and get the first strike, which I did.”
The next morning, the Pirates traveled to Old Bridge to take on the Knights at Fred Cole Field. Seton Hall lost 6-5. Maldonado was 4-for-5 with three RBIs; Monteleone was 2-for-4 with one RBI; and Bertone was on base three times and had a sac fly, driving in a run.
Photo Courtesy of Rich Morris/SHP
SHP baseball team jolts state-ranked foes Millburn and St. Joseph’s of Metuchen during strong week added by Jeff Goldberg on
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