AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Pace University baseball team competed in its third day at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on Monday, taking on Wayne State University in a doubleheader at Lake Myrtle Park Field 4. The Setters dropped a pair of seven-inning games by scores of 7-1 and 4-3.
GAME 1: WAYNE STATE 7, PACE 1
SCORING PLAYS
Bottom 1st – Wayne State
- The Warriors strung together a four-run rally with four hits in the bottom of the first to quickly take a 4-0 lead on the Setters.
Top 2nd – Pace
- Senior designated hitter
Cory Capaldi (Telford, PA/Souderton) and senior right fielder
Domenick Luongo (Darien, CT/Cardinal Spellman) opened the second with back-to-back singles, and both were moved over on a sacrifice by junior shortstop
Paul Piccolino (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell).
- Pace then took advantage of a defensive miscue, as an error by the third baseman allowed Capaldi to score from third and get Pace on the board.
Bottom 2nd – Wayne State
- A bases-loaded fielder's choice for catcher Justin Kelly brought in another run for the Warriors to make it 5-1.
Bottom 3rd – Wayne State
- The Warriors brought another run in to score when right fielder Patrick Adams III hit an RBI single to center.
- A two-out double by center fielder Devin Rose then brought in Adams to make it a 7-1 game.
GAME 1 PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Hunter Brown (2-0)
Loss:
Ryan Aquino (Mamaroneck, NY/Rye Neck) (1-1)
Pitching Notes
- Freshman reliever
Lorenzo Russo (East Northport, NY/Commack) came on to pitch the seventh for Pace, and did not allow a hit while striking out a batter.
- Wayne State starter Hunter Brown tossed five innings, giving up one unearned run on three hits.
GAME 1 SETTER STATS
- Luongo went 2-for-3 in Monday's opener.
- Capaldi batted 1-for-3 with a run scored.
- Senior first baseman
Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) had a 1-for-2 outing with a walk.
GAME 1 WARRIOR LEADERS
- Rose went 3-for-4 with two runs, an RBI and two doubles.
- Adams hit 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored.
- First baseman Sean Winkelseth batted 1-for-3 with two RBIs, a run and a home run.
GAME 2: WAYNE STATE 4, PACE #
SCORING PLAYS
Top 2nd – Wayne State
- With a runner on second, first baseman JT Conti doubled to center, bringing in the first run of the game for the Warriors.
- An error then allowed Conti to score with two down in the inning, leaving Wayne State on top, 2-0.
Top 3rd – Wayne State
- The Warriors made it 3-0 when left fielder Griffin Harms hit a solo home run.
Bottom 3rd – Pace
- Sophomore shortstop
Riley Iafrate (Harrington Park, NJ/Don Bosco Prep) was hit by a pitch to reach base with one away.
- Sophomore second baseman
Michael Salmonese (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick) then doubled down the left-field line to put two runners in scoring position.
- Senior center fielder
John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) then blasted a three-run homer down the right-field line, knotting things up at 3-3.
Top 5th – Wayne State
- With runners on the corners, Harms knocked in a run in complete contrast of his earlier home run, by dribbling a slow roller in no-man's land in front of the plate for an infield single that put the Warriors ahead, 4-3.
GAME 2 PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Jared Tobey (1-2)
Loss:
Kyle Cashman (Hicksville, NY/Hicksville) (0-1)
Save: Tyler Tompson (2)
Pitching Notes
- Junior starter
Kyle Cashman (Hicksville, NY/Hicksville) went 4.1 frames in the start, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits while striking out five.
- Sophomore reliever
Kevin Wiltse (East Setauket, NY/Ward Mellville) threw two innings in relief, striking out three batters while giving up just one hit.
- Junior reliever
Michael Amato (Farmingville, NY/Sachem East/Suffolk CC) came on to get the final two batters, and did so successfully.
- Wayne State starter Jared Tobey gave up three runs in four innings with seven strikeouts.
- Closer Tyler Tompson got the save after holding the Setters off the board in the seventh inning.
GAME 2 SETTER STATS
- Kukura went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer to tie the game in the third.
- Salmonese hit 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
- Capaldi batted 1-for-3, while Luongo hit 1-for-1 after a pinch-hit opportunity in the seventh.
GAME 2 WARRIOR LEADERS
- Harms went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and a run.
- Conti batted 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI.
- Shortstop Jeremy Carrell batted 1-for-2 with a run scored.
TEAM RECORDS
Pace: 3-5
Wayne State: 8-5
UP NEXT:
- The Setters will look to bounce back in a tough matchup tomorrow, March 14, when they challenge No. 6 Grand Valley State University at Lake Myrtle Park Field 5. First pitch is slated for 12:30 p.m.
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