PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Junior center fielder
John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) continued his hot start to the season, this time highlighting his day with a grand slam in the fourth inning to help fuel the Pace University baseball team to an 8-5 victory over Mercy College Thursday evening under the lights of Peter X. Finnerty Field. The Setters improve to 4-5 with the win, while Mercy drops to 4-6.
Kukura's first home run of the year gave Pace a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth. He finished up 3-for-5 with 5 RBIs, two runs and a pair of doubles in the game. He has three hits and four-or-more RBIs in back-to-back games. He is also now hitting .425 on the year and slugging .725.
The game got off to a rough start for the Setters, as Mercy shortstop Bryan Torres hit a lead-off home run to give the Mavericks a quick 1-0 lead. Pace quickly tied the game in the bottom of the inning, capitalizing on an error with two away that brought in junior designated hitter
James Wynne (North Salem, NY/North Salem) from third.
Mercy jumped back on top in the third when first baseman Justin Palladino stroked an RBI doubled down the left-field line, giving Mercy a 2-1 lead.
Senior second baseman
Andrew Coffey (Greenwich, CT/Old Avon Farms) kept the bottom of the fourth alive by beating out a slow grounder to short, loading the bases with two down in the inning. Kukura then came up and blasted a grand slam to the road behind the Goldstein Fitness Center to put Pace on top, 5-2.
Kukura flashed his power again in the home half of the sixth with a one-out ground-rule double to deep left-center. Senior third baseman
Nick LoBello (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) later brought him in on a single to make it a four-run lead for Pace. Junior right fielder
Cory Capaldi (Telford, PA/Souderton) followed with a single through the left side, bringing in Wynne from third to give the Setters a 7-2 advantage.
A pair of doubles, the second by left fielder Nicholas Chilson, brought in a run for the Mavericks in the top of the seventh. Kukura shined once again in the bottom of the inning, hitting another double to center to plate grad student shortstop
Brett Bittiger (Saylorsburg, PA/Pius X), who doubled earlier in the inning, to make it an 8-3 Pace lead.
Mercy loaded the bases in the ninth with just one away. Sophomore closer
Anthony Criscione (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Spellman) came on to try and save it for the Setters. He got the first batter hit a grounder to short, which was nearly turned into a double play before the batter beat out the throw, allowing a run to score. The game then ended on a wild play. A slow grounder resulted in Criscione throwing the ball past the first baseman, bringing in the runner from third. However, the ball was backed up by Coffey, who then threw over to third, catching right fielder Giovanni Lasalandra trying to take an extra base, ending the game and giving Pace the win.
Senior starter
Michael Forgione (West Harrison, NY/Harrison) earned his first win of the year after tossing 6.1 innings and yielding just three runs. He also struck out three batters. Criscione picked up his first save of the season after helping the Setters hold on for the final two outs in the ninth. Blake Coalla drops to 0-2 for Mercy after allowing five runs (four earned) in five innings.
Wynne scored a pair of runs and hit a double in a 1-for-3 outing on Thursday. LoBello and Capaldi each hit 1-for-3 with an RBI. Coffey hit 1-for-3 with a run scored. Senior catcher
Frank Mayo (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) went 0-for-2, but he reached base three times, twice by hit-by-pitch and once more on a walk. Mayo scored a run in the game, and also threw out two runners trying to steal.
Torres hit 2-for-3 with two runs, an RBI and a home run for Mercy. Palladino batted 1-for-3 with an RBI.
The Setters and Mavericks completed Tuesday's suspended game prior to Thursday's scheduled matchup. Mercy picked up the win in the bottom of the 10th by a score of 11-10. Due to the later start, Thursday's contest became the first baseball game ever played under the lights at the new Peter X. Finnerty Field.
The Setters have a quick turnaround, as they kick off a three-game series with Dominican College on Friday, March 11, at Finnerty Field. Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. The series continues on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.
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