Three Teams Improve to 3-0 at BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge

Three teams each moved to 3-0 (within an hour of each other), in the earl evening at the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge. Seton Hall surged past Michigan State for an 8-4 win, followed by Michigan's 6-1 win over Cincinnati and Ohio State's 6-4 victory over Connecticut.

Seton Hall in recent years has featured a couple of quality starting pitchers, and that already has proved to be the case this weekend. Sean Black tossed six shutout innings to help beat Minnesota on Friday night (11-2), while senior RHP Keith Cantwell followed up with a solid outing to beat MSU (7 IP, 4 R/3 ER, 6 H, BB, 2 Ks). SHU finished with a 12-9 hit edge, led by four with two-hit games: Matt Smedberg (BB, RBI, 2 R), A.J. Russbarsky (BB, RBI, R), Chris Spagnuolo and Michael Rogers (BB, RBI, 2R).

The Pirates had claimed a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the 5th, but MSU came back to score twice for a 4-3- edge. SHU quickly answered with three runs in the bottom of the 6th (6-4), with an odd sequence of three straight RBI infield singles (they added two insurance runs in he 8th).

MSU starter AJ Archer had no-decision (5 IP, 3 R/2 ER, 4 H, 5 BB, 2K), with fellow sophomore RHP Kurt Wunderlich taking the loss (1 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 2 K). Junior RF Eli Boike had a two-run homer in the 2nd inning while freshman DH Andrew Carpenter led off the 6th with another blast for the Spartans.

The Seton Hall pitchers did an impressive job against the MSU running game, which managed no stolen bases one day after swiping seven (vs. UConn).

Michigan held a 3-1 lead on Cincinnati before doubling its run total in the top of the 7th, for the 6-1 final. Starter Travis Smith (5 IP, R, 7H, 2BB, 9K) picked up the win, while fellow sophomore RHP Matt Miller registered the 4-inning save (2H, 7 K). UM's top hitters included sophomore SS Anthony Toth (2-for-4, BB, R), sophomore CF Ryan LaMarre (2-for-3, 2R) and junior RF Nick Urban (3-for-5, 2 RBI).

Cincinnati junior RHP Tyler Smith failed to pitch into the 5th (4.2 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 4 BB, 5 K) while junior CF Scott Jemel accounted for nearly half of his team's hits (4-for-5, R, SB).

There were live-stat problems with the OSU-UConn game, but we will pass on details as they come.