CARY, N.C. – Senior second baseman
Andrew Coffey (Greenwich, CT/Old Avon Farms) had a career day on Friday, going 5-for-5 to lead the Pace University baseball team to its fifth straight win, an 11-0 victory over Dominican College at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. The Setters improve to 9-6 on the season, including a 3-1 record against Dominican this season, while the Chargers drop to 5-7. Pace and Dominican will play one more time this weekend, concluding play down in Cary on Sunday at 10 a.m.
Coffey picked up five singles in the game, improving his batting average to a team-leading .432 on the season. He scored a game-high three runs, added an RBI and stole a base.
Senior starter
Michael Forgione (West Harrison, NY/Harrison) turned in a stellar performance on the hill for the Setters, tossing eight scoreless innings to improve to 2-0 on the season. He allowed just two hits and struck out two batters. Junior
James Wynne (North Salem, NY/North Salem) made his first appearance on the mound this season in the ninth inning, and made quick work of the final three Charger batters by striking out all of them.
Sophomore left fielder
Michael Gulino (Meriden, CT/Maloney) hit 2-for-3 in the game with two runs, an RBI and a double. Graduate designated hitter
Alec Petrone (Yorktown, NY/Mahopac / Marist College) went 1-for-5, but came through with a team-leading three RBIs. Junior right fielder
Cory Capaldi (Telford, PA/Souderton) knocked in two runs and scored two more in a 1-for-5 outing that also included a double. Junior first baseman
Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) batted 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored.
Dominican starter Anthony Hunter fell to 0-3 after shouldering the loss. He allowed seven runs, just one earned, in 4.2 innings of work. Right fielder Anthony Brtolomei and designated hitter Jayson Gray picked up the only two hits of the game for the Chargers.
The Setters got things going in the third when Gulino hit a double to center, bringing in Coffey for the first run of the game. They then broke it open in the top of the fifth with a six-run rally. Coffey knocked in a run on a single early in the inning, and then Capaldi reached on an error, allowing two more runs to score. Petrone brought in two runs on a single to right, and graduate shortstop
Brett Bittiger (Saylorsburg, PA/Pius X) brought in the final run of the inning with a bases-loaded walk.
The Setters added another four runs in the top of the eighth. Capaldi plated two on a double to left field, and then senior catcher
Frank Mayo (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) added another on an RBI single to center. Petrone then notched his third RBI of the game on a fielder's choice that scored Capaldi to make it an 11-0 game.
The Setters will face another familiar foe as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, March 19, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. They start their morning with a 10:30 a.m. matchup against Dowling College, which Pace defeated, 12-1, at Peter X. Finnerty Field back on Feb. 28. They will then face a tough matchup against No. 9 Franklin Pierce University at 2:30 p.m.
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