PACE FALLS TO AZUSA PACIFIC, 11-10

AZUSA, CA- The Setters lost a non-conference game to the #5- ranked in the NAIA Azusa Pacific, 11-10, in a heartbreaking seesaw battle. The Setters drop to 5-9 overall on the season, while the Cougars improve to 26-4.

Azusa Pacific got on the board first, putting up a two unearned runs in their half of the first inning. The Setters chipped away in the second as Ted Mullen (Madison, CT/Chaote Rosemary Hall) (Madison, CT/Choate Rosemary Hall) led off with a single and moved to third on a double by Matt Arburr (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern). Mullen scored on a ground out to cut the Setter deficit in half. The next inning, Pace took the lead as Chris Brown (West Kingston, RI/S. Kingston) reached on an error by the third baseman and scored two batters later as Jack Cawley (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) crushed a two-run homerun to put the Setters in front 3-2.

Pace tacked on another one in the fourth as Neil Ross (Cortland Manor, NY/Dominican College) (Cortland Manor, NY/Dominican College) singled with one out and stole second. Joe Barracato (Westbury, NY/Clarke) (Westbury, NY/Clarke), ripped a run-scoring single to drive in Ross.

The Cougars hit a solo homerun in the fifth and scratched out the tying run in the sixth on a couple of hits, crossing the plate on a Frank Luongo (West Harrison, NY/West Harrison) wild pitch.

The Setters retook the lead in the seventh as Barracato drew a lead-off walk, stole second and move to third when the catcher's throw sailed into centerfield. One out later, Andre Liscinsky Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) singled, scoring Barracato. Liscinsky moved to second and a wild pitch and scored on Cawley double to the right-center gap.  Mullen followed with a single to score Cawley, giving the Setters a 7-4 lead.

Azusa Pacific rallied in the eighth, capitalizing on three Setter errors in the frame to push across six runs, all unearned, to take a 10-7 lead into the final inning.

The ninth inning proved to be a wild one for both teams as the Setters refused to go quietly in the top of the ninth, as Liscinsky kicked off the Setter rally with a lead-off double. Aaron Zrenda Niantic, CT (Loomis Chaffee Prep) blasted a moon-shot to leftfield for a two-run homer, putting the Setters within one run at 10-9. The Setter comeback continued as Cawley ripped his second double of the afternoon. Following an out and an intentional walk of Arburr, Ross singled through the right side to load the bases. Following a strikeout and two strikes on Barracato, Cawley raced home with the tying run on a passed ball. Barracato would fan on the next pitch but the damage was done and the Setters had knotted the game at 10.

The Cougars answered in their half of the ninth, as they put runners on first and second on a single and hit by pitch. While attempting to sacrifice, pitcher Michael Sheehy's (Pelham, NY/Pelham Memorial) (Pelham, NY/Pelham Memorial) throw to third was mishandled by Arburr allowing the Cougars to load the bases. The next batter grounded out the third, as Arburr threw out the runner at home to keep the inning alive. However, the Setters lost as Sheehy hit the next batter forcing in the winning run.

For Pace, Tommy Parry (Wayne, PA/Conestoga) (Wayne, PAConestoga) started, hurling 3 2/3 innings, giving two unearned runs and three hits, while fanning two. Luongo came on in relief for 2 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and two runs, while registering two K's. Sheehy (0-1) pitched the final and decisive 1/3 of an inning, giving up an unearned run and one hits.