SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – A four-run eighth inning led Seton Hall past the Saint Joseph's baseball team, 5-3, at Sheppard Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Neither team broke through until the fourth, when the Hawks took a 3-0 lead.  After a pair of infield singles by Tim Dickinson and Aidan Duda, Sam Meyer drew a walk to load the bases with two outs for Michael Pierson.  Pierson then ripped a single up the middle to score two and put the Hawks on top before a wild pitch allowed Meyer to score and push the lead to 3-0.
 
• Seton Hall (5-9) got one back in the sixth on a two-out single by Ryan Frontera before a big eighth inning proved fateful.  A pair of walks started the inning, but after a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout, the Hawks could see their way out of the jam.  Unfortunately for the Crimson and Gray, three more walks forced in the tying runs before a single by Marco Ali pushed across two more.
 
• Saint Joseph's (5-9) brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the top of the ninth, but a lineout double play ended the game.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• John Downing tossed the final three innings in relief for Seton Hall, walking three and striking out two, to earn the win.  Jaden Ovalles took the loss for SJU after being charged with two runs on two walks in two-thirds of an inning.
 
• Nathan Stein allowed one run on four hits and two walks while striking out six across five and two-thirds innings in a no decision for Saint Joseph's.
 
• Pierson led the Hawks offensively with two hits.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks host Lehigh at Smithson Field on Tuesday afternoon before opening conference play at Saint Louis on Friday.