FLEMINGTON, N.J. – The Setters earned their fourth straight victory on Saturday as they won a pair of games against Northeast-10 Conference rival Southern Connecticut. Following the doubleheader, Pace advances to 8-9, 3-2 NE-10 Southwest Division while Southern Connecticut falls to 8-10, 0-2 NE-10 Southwest Division.
In the opener, senior
Robert Rizzitelli got the start and held the Owls to a pair of hits and no runs in the opening two innings. In the third, the Setters scored the first run of the game. After Pace drew three consecutive walks,
Nick LoBello drew a fourth to plate
Brett Bittiger and give Pace a 1-0 lead.
Over the next two innings Rizzitelli set the Owls down in order, adding three strikeouts. The Setters struck again in the fifth as they registered four hits, all with two outs, to plate a pair of runs.
John Kukura and
Michael Gulino belted back-to-back RBI singles to put Pace up 3-0.
Rizzitelli gave up just one hit over the next three frames while adding a trio of strikeouts. Pace closed the door in the top of the eighth inning when
Tyler Bivona blasted a two-run homer to right center, putting the Setters up 5-0.
Senior
Tim Deegan entered in relief of Rizzitelli in the bottom of the ninth and locked it down as he forced the final two outs of the game.
Bivona went 1-3 at the dish with a run scored and two RBIs. Kukura went 2-4 with an RBI and a run while LoBello and Gulino each added one hit and an RBI.
Rizzitelli earned the win after tossing 8.1 innings and allowing no runs on four hits with ten Ks. In relief, Deegan tossed the final two outs and allowed no hits or runs while adding a strikeout.
In the late game, the Setters trailed 1-0 entering the second inning until they rallied to jump out to a convincing lead. Senior
Tom Midolo began the inning with a leadoff single, and was followed by back-to-back outs. After
Paul Piccolino added a base hit to give Pace runners at the corners,
Cory Capaldi came up next and tied the game with a single. After a Bittiger walk, the Setters added a go-ahead run when the Owls pitcher committed an error.
Frank Mayo came up to the plate next and connected for a single that plated Capaldi. The key rally concluded when
John Kukura roped a double to right center to score a pair of runs and give the Setters a 5-1 lead.
Senior pitcher
Jonathan Chudy got the start on the rubber, and settled down after allowing a run in the first. He held the Owls to just one hit over the next two innings while adding a pair of strikeouts. In the fourth, the Setters added to their lead. After
Andrew Coffey reached on an error and Mayo was hit by a pitch, Kukura went to work again as he hit a pivitol three-run homerun to give Pace an 8-1 advantage.
Chudy sat the Owls down in order in the fourth before allowing a pair of runs in the fifth frame. He ended his day with five innings pitched and three earned runs while adding seven strikeouts. Senior
Josh Grant entered in relief of Chudy in the sixth and tossed the final four innings of play, allowing one earned run on five hits with two strikeouts.
Kukura led Pace with a 2-5 mark from the dish with one run scored and five batted in. Midolo, LoBello, and Capaldi each went 2-5 as well, with Capaldi adding an RBI. Mayo went 1-2 at the plate with one run scored and an RBI.
The Setters return to the diamond on Sunday when they finish the three-game series with Southern Connecticut at Diamond Nation in Flemington, N.J. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
