MANCHESTER, N.H.- Jonathan Chudy (Goshen, NY/Goshen) (Goshen, NY/Goshen) tossed a complete game shutout as the Setters took the win over Saint Thomas Aquinas College 3-0 in the First Round of the NCAA Division II East Region Tournament. The Setters advance in the winners' bracket to face the winner of the Southern New Hampshire-New Haven game on Friday, May 17 at 7 pm at Penmen Field. Pace improved their 2013 record to 33-15 overall.
The Spartans fall to 39-13 and will face Wilmington in an elimination game on Friday morning.
The Setters got the game off to a strong start as they scored a pair of runs in the opening inning. Charlie Galasso (West Harrison, NY/Harrison) (West Harrison, NY/Harrison) reached first following a dropped pop-up to the second baseman. James Pjura (Shelton, CT/Shelton) (Shelton, CT/Shelton) was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Galasso moved to third on a fly out to set up a two-out rally for Pace.
Joe Solomeno (Holbrook , NY/Sachem East) (Holbrook, NY/Sachem East) and Ian Wukitsch (Morristown, NJ/Morristown) (Morristown, NJ/Morristown) came through in the clutch with singles to score Galasso and Pjura to put the Setters in the lead at 2-0.
The Setters rallied in the fourth as Bobby Horn (Stamford, CT/Westhill) (Stamford, CT/Westhill) led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Jon Kovel (Schenectady, NY/Scotia Glenville) (Schenectady, NY/Scotia Glenville) put Pace up 3-0 as he hit one in the left-center gap for a double to score Horn.
Starter Chudy controlled the tempo on the hill in a complete game effort. He only allowed four runners to reach scoring position in the first, fourth, sixth and ninth innings but was able to work out of the jams to post the win. Chudy (4-2) scattered eight hits in a complete game shutout effort, striking out four.
For Pace, Chris Gili (Manorville, NY/Eastport-South Manor) went 2-for-5 in the game, while Galasso was 2-for-4.
The Setters advance to the winners bracket of the NCAA East Regional where they will face the winner of the Southern New Hampshire-New Haven on Friday, May 17 at 7 pm at Penmen Field on the campus of Southern New Hampshire.
