WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The Pace University baseball team took an early lead in Wednesday's Northeast-10 Conference matchup at the University of New Haven, and was able to hang on late despite a seventh-inning rally by the Chargers to pick up a 7-5 win at Frank Vieira Field. The Setters improve to 17-8 overall and 5-2 in NE-10 play with the win, while New Haven drops to 8-10 and 3-2. The Setters take full control of second place in the Southwest Division with a 4-1 divisional record, while New Haven falls to fourth at 3-2.
The Setters quickly got on the board in the top of the first. Junior center fielder
John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) walked to open the game, then advanced on the way to third on a passed ball and a wild pitch. Senior second baseman
Andrew Coffey (Greenwich, CT/Old Avon Farms) then brought him around to score on a single to right, making it an early 1-0 lead for the Setters. Coffey later scored on an RBI single by junior right fielder
Cory Capaldi (Telford, PA/Souderton), doubling Pace's lead.
Coffey led off the third with a walk, and moved over to third on back-to-back fielder's choices. Senior third baseman
Nick LoBello (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) then brought him in from third on a sacrifice fly to center, giving the Setters a 3-0 lead in the third.
Pace took advantage of a mistake by the Chargers to score its next run in the fifth. With one away, sophomore left fielder
Michael Gulino (Meriden, CT/Maloney) reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, advancing to second on the play. Capaldi then singled to left, scoring Gulino from second to make it a 4-0 lead for the Setters.
The Setters once again capitalized on another error in the sixth. Junior designated hitter
James Wynne (North Salem, NY/North Salem) reached on an error by the pitcher to start the inning, and then stole second to get into scoring position. Junior first baseman
Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) drew a walk, and then both runners moved over on a wild pitch. Graduate shortstop
Brett Bittiger (Saylorsburg, PA/Pius X) then singled to left, bringing in both runners to make it a 6-0 game.
New Haven turned the tables by taking advantage of some mistakes by the Setters in the bottom of the seventh. After the first two batters of the inning flew out, shortstop Dylon Grzenda reached on an error to keep the inning going. Second baseman Nick Russo then singled to center, and right fielder Nick Perrelli followed with another single to bring in Grzenda for the Chargers' first run of the game. Left fielder Robert Petrillo and third baseman Jack Zagaja drew back-to-back walks, bringing in another run. First baseman Andrew Garcia then hit a two-RBI single to left, dropping Pace's lead to just two runs. Designated hitter Eddie Tammaro then struck out, but managed to reach first after strike three got away from the catcher, allowing the fifth run of the inning to score. A fielder's choice then finally ended the inning, but not before New Haven managed to bring in five runs and cut the deficit to 6-5.
The Chargers threatened once again in the eighth. With one down, Grzenda singled to left, and Russo followed with a double down the left-field line to put two runners in scoring position. Pace chose to intentionally walk Perrelli to load the bases, and Head Coach
Henry Manning's decision paid off, as Petrillo grounded into a double play to end the inning.
The first two Setters batters were unable to reach base in the ninth, but Capaldi singled to keep the inning going. LoBello followed with another single that moved Capaldi to third, and senior catcher
Frank Mayo (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) added the third-straight Pace single to score Capaldi and make it a 7-5 lead for the Setters. Wynne made it four straight hits with a single of his own to load the bases, but Pace was unable to bring in another run in the inning.
Zagaja reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the ninth for New Haven. Garcia then struck out, and senior reliever
Michael Forgione (West Harrison, NY/Harrison) got Tammaro to line into a double play to short, ending the game with the Setters on top.
Senior starter
Dylan Mouzakes (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills) improved to a perfect 6-0 after going 6.2 innings without allowing an earned run. He struck out seven batters and allowed just six hits. The win was the 15th of Mouzakes' career, tying him for seventh on Pace's all-time record list with Neil Pezzulo, Greg Malek and David Qualben. His career record of 15-6 gives him the greatest winning percentage (.714) among the four Setters.
Forgione came on for the final five outs, getting two double plays and a strikeout to pick up his first save. New Haven starter Kellen Croce allowed six runs (three earned) in five innings to fall to 3-2 on the year.
Capaldi hit 3-for-5 two RBIs and a run in Wednesday's conference win. Bittiger knocked in two runs in a 2-for-3 outing. Wynne hit 2-for-5 with a run and a stolen base, and Mayo hit 1-for-5 with an RBI. Coffey batted 1-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
Russo batted 4-for-5 with a run out of the leadoff spot for the Chargers. Perrelli went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Garcia hit 1-for-3 with two RBIs.
The Setters will hit the road for four tough matchups this weekend, beginning with a doubleheader at No. 11 Southern New Hampshire University on Saturday, April 9. The Northeast-10 twinbill is set to begin at 12 p.m.
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