PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – For the second day in a row, the Pace University baseball team took down Bloomfield College, this time by a score of 10-1, in non-conference action at Peter X. Finnerty Field. The Setters had an all-around strong game with stellar pitching, excellent hitting and flawless defense.
 
SCORING PLAYS
Top 2nd – Bloomfield
- Right fielder Isaac Pichardo, after having a strong game on Wednesday, kept his hot streak going with a solo homer with one away to put the Bears on top, 1-0.
 
Bottom 4th – Pace
- With two down, Wednesday's hero, junior third baseman Matthew Kurdewan (Neptune, NJ/Red Bank Catholic), kept the inning alive with a double into left-center.
- Sophomore second baseman Michael Salmonese (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick) followed with a double of his own down the right-field line to tie the game up at 1-1.
- Graduate student catcher Frank Mayo (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) then roped a double down the left-field line, plating Salmonese to put the Setters ahead, 2-1.
- Senior left fielder James Wynne (North Salem, NY/North Salem) then singled into left, bringing Mayo around to score and make it a 3-1 game in favor of the Setters.
 
Bottom 6th – Pace
- The Setters had one on with two away before Wynne was hit by a pitch to keep the inning going.
- Senior center fielder John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) then walked for the third time in the game, loading the bases for junior shortstop Paul Piccolino (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell).
- Piccolino came through with a hard grounder through the left side, singling in both Kurdewan and Wynne to improve Pace's lead to 5-1.
 
Bottom 7^th – Pace
- With runners on second and third, Mayo drew ball four, which got away from the catcher for a wild pitch, scoring Kukura from third to make it 6-1.
- Mayo then got himself in a rundown after drawing a throw over to first from the pitcher, and Salmonese managed to score on the play to leave the Setters with a 7-1 advantage.
 
Bottom 8th – Pace
- Piccolino singled to left with one away in the inning.
- Senior first baseman Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) then tripled into right-center, scoring Piccolino from first to push the lead to 8-1.
- With two on, Kurdewan hit a high fly ball into center field that got lost in the sun, dropping in for a two-RBI triple to make it a 10-1 lead for Pace heading into the final frame.
 
PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Anthony Rocco (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) (1-0)
Loss: Anthony Maldonado (1-1)
 
Pitching Notes
- Senior Anthony Rocco (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) tossed six frames, striking out six batters while yielding just three hits and one run to earn the win.
- Maldonado suffered the loss after allowing three runs in five innings.
- Sophomore Kevin Wiltse (East Setauket, NY/Ward Mellville) made his first appearance for the Setters, throwing two innings without allowing a hit and striking out two.
- Sophomore Dan Wirchansky (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland/RCC) also took the mound for the first time in Navy and Gold, throwing a perfect ninth that included a strikeout.
 
SETTER STATS
- Kurdewan batted 3-for-5 with a triple, a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.
- Piccolino hit 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run.
- Wynne knocked in a run and scored another after going 2-for-3.
- Mayo went 1-for-3 with a run, an RBI and a double.
- Salmonese finished up 1-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI.
 
BLOOMFIELD LEADERS
- Pichardo hit 1-for-2 with a solo home run for Bears' only score in the game.
- Center fielder Ben Thomas went 1-for-3.
- Shortstop Juan Reina batted 1-for-4.
 
TEAM RECORDS
Pace: 2-0
Bloomfield: 2-2
 
UP NEXT:
- The Setters' game scheduled for Saturday, March 4, against Franklin Pierce University has been canceled.
- Pace's next scheduled game is set for Wednesday, March 8, when the Setters hit the road to take on LIU Post in Brookville, N.Y. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.
 
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