PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Junior center fielder
John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) set a new program record with his seventh triple of the season on Tuesday, and it could not have come at a better time. His two-RBI three-bagger in the seventh gave the Pace University baseball team the lead for good, leading to a 6-3 victory over the University of New Haven in a crucial Northeast-10 Conference matchup at Peter X. Finnerty Field.
Pace improves to 21-15 overall and 8-8 in the NE-10, while New Haven drops to 13-13 and 6-5. The Setters also move to 7-3 in Southwest-Division play, and jump the Chargers for second place in the division, as New Haven falls to 4-3.
Kukura's seventh triple of the year breaks the previous record set by Kevin Gallagher in 1973, and matched by Tom Raymond in 1995. With two outs and two on in the seventh, Kukura roped a triple to deep right-center, bringing in both runs to put the Setters up, 3-2, over the Chargers. The rally continued until five runs had scored and Pace took a 6-2 lead by the end of the inning.
Senior starter
Dylan Mouzakes (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills) went 7.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits. He improves to 7-1 on the season, earning his 16th career win, which ties him for third all-time in program history with Joe Nannariello '85, Alex Cuesta '76, Joe Boniello '79 and Chris Bayer '85.
Pace trailed 2-0 heading into the sixth inning. Junior right fielder
Cory Capaldi (Telford, PA/Souderton) singled in Kukura in bottom of the inning to cut the deficit in half. Kukura then brought in two runs in the seventh on his triple to give Pace the lead. After senior second baseman
Andrew Coffey (Greenwich, CT/Old Avon Farms) was hit by a pitch, sophomore left fielder
Michael Gulino (Meriden, CT/Maloney) tripled over the right fielder's head, scoring two more runs to make it a 5-2 lead for the Setters. Capaldi capped off the inning with an RBI single through the right side to put Pace up by four.
Kukura hit 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two runs, a triple and a double in the win. Capaldi knocked in two runs in a 2-for-4 outing. Gulino batted 1-for-4 with two RBIs, a run and a triple.
New Haven was led by third baseman Jack Zagaja, who went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the second inning. Center fielder Joe Caico batted 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Reliever Will Aldam took the loss after giving up four earned runs in 2/3 of an inning.
The Setters take Wednesday off before returning to action on Thursday, April 21, to host the University of Bridgeport for a non-conference matchup at Finnerty Field. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.
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