SETTERS OPEN SEASON AT 3-0 FOR FIRST TIME IN HANK MANNING ERA

PETERSBURG, VA - The Pace University completed a three-game series sweep over Bloomfield College with a 6-0 decision at the Petersburg Sports Complex in Petersburg, VA.  It is the 5th time in Pace history that a Setter team opened the year at 3-0 and the best record since 1997 (2-1) after three games.

Bryan Hallberg (River Edge, NJ/River Dell Regional) (River Edge, NJ/River Dell Regional) picked up the win after pitching six innings of one-hit baseball while walking one and striking out seven.  Hallberg gave up a single to the second batter he faced and also walked a batter in the 2nd inning before retiring the last 13 batters he faced. 

Hallberg was relieved by Angelo Fusaro (Stamford, CT/Westhill) (Stamford, CT/ Westhill) who struck out two of the four batters he faced while allowing on hit in one inning pitched.  Freshmen Zach Dayton (North Falmouth, MA/Falmouth) (No. Falmoth, MA/ Falmouth) and Eric Brown (Norwalk, CT/Norwalk) (Norwalk, CT/ Norwalk) pitched the last two innings to finish off the shutout. 

The Setters jumped on the board when Matt Arburr (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) walked to lead off the 2nd inning.  Arburr then quickly stole second base and scored on a single to right field by Mike Pahira (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel).  Pace would score again in the 4th inning when Matt Castellano (Staten Island, NY/ St. Joseph) led off with a single and Arburr followed with his first homerun of the year, a towering shot to left centerfield.  Matt McNichol (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) then walked and advanced to second a ground out by Chris Brown (West Kingston, RI/South Kingstown).  McNichol would move to third on a single by Joe Barracato (Westbury, NY/Clarke) (Westbury, NY/Clarke) and would score on a balk.  Brian Hollrah (Glenwood, MD/Glenely) would single to right to score Barracato from second base.

In the 6th inning, Pahira would lead off with double down the leftfield line. After McNichol grounded out to third, Pahira advanced to third on dribbler by Brown to the pitcher on the 1st base side of the mound.  Barracato would follow with a double, scoring Pahira.

Overall, Pahira was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored while Arburr was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI.  Barracato was 2-for-4 with a run scored and one RBI.