NEW HAVEN, Conn.- The Setters swept a doubleheader from the Owls of Southern Connecticut State University, taking the opener 2-1 and completing the sweep 10-5 in the nightcap. Pace finishes the regular season at 32-14 and 15-6 in the NE-10 Southwest Division, clinching the #2 seed and will host the First Round of the Northeast-10 Championship on Tuesday, May 7 at Finnerty Field at 2 pm. The Owls finish their season at 20-21-1 overall and 6-15 in division play.
In the opener, Jonathan Chudy (Goshen, NY/Goshen) (Goshen, NY/Goshen) tossed 6 2/3 strong innings, allowing one run on five hits but the Setters trailed 1-0 after seven innings. Pace rallied in the eighth as Michael Viegas (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) drew a one-out walk and scored on a Bobby Horn (Stamford, CT/Westhill) (Stamford, CT/Westhill) double to tie the game at 1-1. After the second out of the inning, Charlie Galasso (West Harrison, NY/Harrison) (West Harrison, NY/Harrison) singled in the eventual game-winning run.
Josh Garran (Old Tappan, NJ/Northern Valley Regional) (Old Tappan, NJ/Northern Valley Regional) came on in relief to record the final out in the seventh and pitched the eighth inning, allowing one hit and struck out one to improve to 4-0 on the season. The Owls loaded the bases with one out in the ninth but Eddie Byrne (Yonkers, NY/Archbishop Stepinac) (Yonkers, NY/Archbishop Stepanic) closed the door on a comeback to pick up his seventh save of the season.
In the nightcap, the Setters scored six runs in the first three innings to pull ahead to an early 6-0 lead. James Pjura (Shelton, CT/Shelton) (Shelton, CT/Shelton) put Pace on the board in the opening inning with an RBI single. The Setters took advantage of a pair of Southern Connecticut errors in the second as plate three runs. Pace added two more in the third as Viegas and Horn drove in runs with a single for a 6-0 lead.
Southern Connecticut added a pair of runs in the third but the Setters added to their lead in the sixth as Chris Gili (Manorville, NY/Eastport-South Manor) (Manorville, NY/Eastport-South Manor) drove in a run with a single. The Owls rallied with three runs in the eighth to pull to within two runs at 7-5. Pace extended their lead in the ninth with three runs to pull ahead 10-5. Horn drew a bases loaded walk for one run, while Viegas drove in another run with a base hit.
The Setters rapped out 18 hits in the nightcap as Gill went 3-for-6 with two runs scored, while Brandon Martineson (Prospect, KY/Warwick (NY)) (Prospect, KY/Warwick) and Galasso both went 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Viegas and Horn both had a pair of RBI's in the game. On the mound, Dylan Mouzakes (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills) (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills) improved to 6-0 on the season, tossing six innings, allowing two runs on four hits, while striking out seven. Tim Deegan (Levittown, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) (Levittown, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) pitched one inning, allowing three runs on five hits, while Josh Grant (Corning, NY/Corning Painted Post West) came on for the final two innings, allowing three hits and striking out four.
The #2 seed Pace will host the First Round of the Northeast-10 Championship on Tuesday, May 7 at 2 pm against the #3 seed Dolphins of Le Moyne College at Finnerty Field.
