PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Sophomore left fielder
Michael Gulino (Meriden, CT/Maloney) went 3-for-4 for the second-straight day, but the Pace University baseball team was unable to pick up the two-game weekend series sweep against Bentley University, falling to the Falcons on Saturday, 5-2, in another Northeast-10 Conference matchup at Peter X. Finnerty Field. The Setters fall to 16-9 overall and 4-2 in the NE-10, while Bentley improves to 7-14 and 2-4.
Gulino's three hits were among 11 total for the Setters on the afternoon. He also went 3-for-4 against Bentley in Friday's 4-3 victory. Senior second baseman
Andrew Coffey (Greenwich, CT/Old Avon Farms) added a 2-for-4 outing, including a double and a run, while junior center fielder
John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) hit 2-for-5 to total seven of the Setters' hits on the day.
After a pair of scoreless innings, the Falcons got on the board first in the top of the third. Second baseman Zachary Littman followed up an earlier double by left fielder Cameron Cruz with one of his own, bringing home the first run of the game.
Coffey opened up the fifth with a ground-rule double to left. Gulino then picked up an infield single, but Coffey was forced to hold at second. Junior first baseman
Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) then sacrificed the runners over, and junior right fielder
Cory Capaldi (Telford, PA/Souderton) picked up a sacrifice fly to right, bringing in Coffey to tie the game.
The Falcons managed to load the bases with two away in the sixth. Catcher Bryan Rocha then doubled to right-center, clearing the bases to put Bentley up, 4-1.
Pace got runners on the corners with one away in the eighth. Senior catcher
Frank Mayo (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) struck out swinging for the second out, but the third strike slipped past the catcher, bringing home senior third baseman
Nick LoBello (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) from third on the wild pitch to make it a 4-2 game. The Setters were unable to continue the rally, eventually taking the two-run defeat.
Senior starter
Josh Garran (Old Tappan, NJ/Northern Valley Regional) fell to 4-2 after allowing four runs on five hits through seven innings of work. Bentley starter Bill Sullivan improved to 2-3, giving up two runs on 11 hits in the complete nine innings.
Rocha went 1-for-3 with three RBIs and a double to lead Bentley on Saturday. Third baseman Mike Samko scored a run in a 1-for-4 outing, while designated hitter Nick Neshe scored twice despite going 0-for-2.
With Sunday's doubleheader against Stonehill College now canceled due to the expected inclement weather, the Setters will now play next on Tuesday, April 5, at the University of New Haven. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. in West Haven, Conn.
For all information regarding Pace baseball, log on to
www.PaceUAthletics.com and follow Pace Athletics on Facebook (
T-Bone, Official Mascot of Pace University Athletics) and Twitter (
@PaceUAthletics), and follow Pace baseball on Instagram (
@PaceBaseball).
