Seton Hall Prep head coach Mike Sheppard Jr., , standing center, wearing the blue jacket, poses with his team after earning his 900th career victory.
WEST ORANGE — The Seton Hall Prep baseball team defeated Millburn 14-2 on Monday, April 13, at Milburn, giving Pirates head coach Mike Sheppard Jr. his 900th career victory.
Sheppard became the second coach in state history to achieve 900 career wins, joining Toms River South legendary coach Ken Frank, who has 934 wins.
Sheppard is in his 40th year as a head coach. This is his 39th year at SHP. He was the West Orange High School head coach in his first year. Sheppard’s career record is 900-240-7 for a .785 winning percentage.
In the win over Millburn, senior Jordan Burwell went 2-for-3 with two doubles, three RBIs, a walk and three runs; senior JJ Drennan was 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs; junior Joey Maiella was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, junior Jack Webber was 1-for-3 and drove in two runs; and junior John Deveau went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run.
Junior right-hander Angel Delgado pitched a six-inning complete game, allowing two earned runs with three strikeouts and two walks for the win. The Pirates improved to 7-2 on the season.
The Pirates played five games last week, going 3-2.
On Monday, April 6, the Pirates traveled to Underhill Complex in Maplewood to take on Columbia and defeated the Cougars 11-2. Burwell led the Pirates, going 2-for-4 with three runs scored and five RBIs, including a three-run homer. Maiella went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and junior Aiden Nugent had a two-run double.
Senior Joseph Pontoriero picked up the victory in relief, pitching four innings and allowing no runs on two hits with four strikeouts.
On Wednesday, April 8, the Pirates hosted Columbia and defeated them 7-1 at Porcello Field in West Orange. Burwell went 3-for-3 with an RBI; senior Jaxon Davis, a South Orange resident, went 2-for-3 with an RBI; senior Devin Aiken, who is a West Orange resident, and Webber each went 1-for-3 with one RBI; and Drennan drove in a run on an infield groundout.
Junior Ryan Edson picked up the win in relief, pitching 2 2/3 innings and allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts.
The Pirates participated in the Mid-Atlantic Baseball Challenge at Brian Fleury Field on the campus of Delbarton School in Morris Township. In their first game on Thursday, April 9, Seton Hall faced Poly Prep (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and lost in a great pitcher’s duel 2-1.
Poly Prep scored two runs in the top of the first inning and the Pirates came back with a run in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, freshman Noah Vargas reached first base on an infield single,
went to second on a wild pitch and he scored when senior Patrick Cassels, a West Orange resident, doubled down the left-field line.
Drennan threw four innings, allowing two runs on three hits with eight strikeouts and one walk. Sophomore Matthew Filiaci threw the final three innings, allowing no runs on one hit with four strikeouts and one walk.
The next day, the Pirates defeated Don Bosco Prep 11-4. Tied 3-3 in the top of the fifth, the Pirates scored five runs to take an 8-3 lead. Burwell hit an RBI double, and Maiella and Aiken had RBI singles and two runs scored on wild pitches. Burwell also had a long solo home run to center field in the third inning.
Nugent and Drennan had RBI singles, and Maiella had a second RBI single.
Pontoriero picked up his second victory in relief, pitching 3 2/3 innings and allowing one run on two hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
In their final game of the showcase event, the Pirates dropped an 8-7 decision to Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.). The Gaels built an 8-2 lead. In the bottom of the fifth, Burwell hit a long three-run homer to right field to close the gap to 8-5. In the bottom of the seventh, the Pirates made it 8-7 when Webber had an RBI single and the other run scored on an infield rundown.
Photo Courtesy of PJ Candido/Seton Hall Prep
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