DAYTON PICKS UP WIN IN OPENER AS SETTERS SPLIT TWIN BILL
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS RALLIES IN GAME TWO TO TAKE NIGHTCAP

PLEASANTVILLE, NY - Senior hurler Zach Dayton (North Falmouth, MA/Falmouth) (North Falmouth, MA/North Falmouth) tossed six strong innings in the opener on his way to first win of the young season as the Setters split a doubleheader against the Spartans of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Dayton struck out three as Pace took the first game 8-4, but the Spartans pushed a run across in the final inning to take the nightcap 3-2. The Setters move to 2-1 overall, while the Spartans stand at 1-2.

The Setters struck first as Chris Spatkowski (Bristol, CT/Bristol) drew a one-out walk, advancing to second on a single by Andre Liscinsky (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull). Both runners would move up a base on a groundout and they would come around to score on a two-run single by Joe Cotone (Yorktown Hts., NY/Lakeland) (Yorktown Heights, NY/Lakeland). Pace would add their lead in the third as JJ Conrad (Hamburg, NJ/Wallkill Valley) (Hamburg, NJ/Wallkill Valley) drew a leadoff walk. Liscinsky would reach base on a one-out infield single, moving Conrad to second. Cotone ripped a single to leftfield, scoring Conrad and moved Liscinsky to second. Vinny Dammann (Mullica Hill, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) (Mullica Hill, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) roped a single to center to score Cotone and an errant throw by the center fielder sailed into the third base dugout, allowing Liscinsky to score on the play. The final blow of the inning came off the bat of freshman Patrick Chaputian (Sea Cliff, NY/North Shore) (Sea Cliff, NY/North Shore) who run scoring triple down the right field line scored Dammann.

The Spartans pushed across a run in the fourth and the seventh, before slicing the Pace lead to 6-4 with a pair of runs in the eighth. The Setters responded in their half of the inning as a squeeze bunt by Conrad and an infield bunt single by Spatkowski gave Pace a little breathing room and an 8-4 opening victory. Dayton (1-0) tossed six innings, allowing one run on one hit, while fanning three. Salvatore DePaola (East Meadow, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) (East Meadow, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) went 1 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on two hits. Chris Camastro (Lagrangeville, NY/Arlington) (Lagrangeville, NY/Arlington) earned his first save of the season, pitching the final inning and two-thirds, only allowing one hit and struck out one.

In the nightcap, the Spartans pushed across two early runs, one in each of the first two innings. The Setters would battle back in the fourth as Liscinsky led off the inning, reaching on an error. Liscinsky stole second, while Dammann followed with a walk. Cotone singled to left center, advancing to second on the throw, while Liscinsky crossed the plate for the first Pace run of the game. Chaputian would reach base on a fielding error by the third baseman, allowing Dammann to score the tying run.

The Spartans would take the lead in the top of the seventh as George Wargo drew a one-out walk. Chris Zapata would drive in Wargo with the eventual winning run on a double, despite being tagged out at third base to end the inning. The Setters would threaten in the bottom of the inning but could not get the tying run to cross the plate as Pace stranded two runners on base.

For Pace, Giuseppe Granitto (Bronx, NY/Concordia College) (Bronx, NY/Concordia College) tossed four innings, allowing three hits and two runs (one earned), while fanning three. Michael Tamburino (Baldwin, NY/Holy Trinity) (Baldwin, NY/Holy Trinity) tossed an inning and a third of one-hit ball, while Steven D'Angelo (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains) (Scotch Plains, NY/Scotch Plains) went the final 1 2/3 innings. D'Angelo (0-1) allowed one run on one hit, while striking out two.

The Setters return to action on Wednesday, March 4 when they travel to Oakdale, NY to take on regional foe Dowling College with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 pm.