PLEASANTVILLE, NY – The Pace University baseball team got a superlative pitching performance from Tim Deegan (Levittown, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) (Levittown, NY/Kellenberg) in game one of a doubleheader, as the Setters downed the Saint Rose Golden Knights 4-1 in a Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division matchup. The Golden Knights outlasted Pace in the nightcap by a 10-7 final.
The Setters are now 10-18 overall, 5-13 in the NE-10, and hold a 4-6 record in the Southwest Division. Saint Rose is 12-21 overall, 8-7 in conference, and 6-4 in divisional play.
In game one, Pace broke open a scoreless game in the fourth inning as James Pjura (Shelton, CT/Shelton) (Shelton, CT/Shelton) and Chris Gili (Manorville, NY/Eastport-South Manor) (Manorville, NY/Eastport-South Manor) led off with singles. Two batters later, James Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) lined a single into left. The ball got by the Golden Knights outfielder, scoring both runners and landing Kukura on third. The Setters then executed a suicide squeeze as Alexander Rough (Stamford, CT/Westhill) (Stamford, CT/Westhill) drove in Kukura to make it 3-0 Pace.
Deegan (3-3) was the rest of the story in game one as the right-hander tossed 7.2 innings, allowing six hits and one run, striking out three. After Saint Rose scored a run in the eighth on a Mike Flynn double that brought home Tyler Ungerland, Mike Jeanetti (Levittown, NY/Island Tree) came out of the bullpen and recorded the final four outs for his first save of the season.
In game two, the Setters found themselves down 7-0 in the second inning before starting their rally. In the bottom the second, Rough and Kukura singled, sandwiched around Gili reaching on an error to load the bases with one out. Danny Wynne (Hasbrouck Heights, NJ/Hasbrouck Heights) (Hasbrouck Heights, NJ/Hasbrouck Heights) and Brett Bittiger (Saylorsburg, PA/Pius X) (Saylorsburg, PA/Pius X High School) delivered back-to-back RBI singled to cut the Golden Knights lead to 7-2.
Pace went back on the offensive in the third inning when Michael Viegas (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) led off with a double and moved to third on a single from Tom Midolo (Brooklyn, NY/Xaverian) (Brooklyn, NY/Xaverian). A Pjura groundout drove in Viegas and moved Midolo to second. A wild pitch sent Midolo to third where he stood when Rough knocked Midolo home with a single to left, making it 7-4.
The Setters came all the way back in the sixth. Gili led off with a double and moved to third when Kukura reached on an error. A walk by Wynne loaded the bases for Bittiger. The shortstop came through with a single to left, plating a pair of runs, slicing the lead to 7-6. Andrew Coffey (Greenwich, CT/Old Avon Farms) (Greenwich, CT/Old Avon Farms) followed with groundout to second, bringing home Tyler Bivona (East Northport, N.Y./Northport), who entered as a pinch runner for Wynne, tying the game at 7-7.
A win was not in the cards, however, as Saint Rose scored three times in the top of the ninth to create the final score.
Pace is now off until Tuesday when they will host Post University in a non-conference clash beginning at 3:30 pm.
