PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University baseball team returned to the comforts of home on Monday, taking down Dominican College, 13-6, in non-conference action at Peter X. Finnerty Field in the first of eight home games scheduled for this week.
 
SCORING PLAYS
Bottom 1st – Pace
- Pace got its first run across when senior right fielder Cory Capaldi (Telford, PA/Souderton) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, making it an early 1-0 lead for the Setters.
- Senior left fielder Domenick Luongo (Darien, CT/Cardinal Spellman) then hit a sacrifice fly to center, bringing in junior shortstop Paul Piccolino (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) to make it 2-0.
- Sophomore second baseman Michael Salmonese (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick) then singled up the middle, plating senior first baseman Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) to put the Setters up, 3-0.
 
Top 2nd – Dominican
- Third baseman Justin Cancel got the Chargers on the board with an RBI single off the pitcher.
- Left fielder Jayson Gray then tripled to deep center, bringing in Cancel to get Dominican back within a run.
 
Top 3rd – Dominican
- Second baseman Jordan Decker brought in the tying run for the Chargers on a sacrifice fly to right, making it a 3-3 ballgame.
 
Bottom 3rd – Pace
- Freshman third baseman Brian Bohlander (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland) capitalized with runners on second and third, bringing in Salmonese on a single through the left side to put Pace back in the lead.
- Bohlander later scored on a wild pitch, putting the Setters ahead, 5-3.
 
Bottom 4th – Pace
- With two runners on, Luongo hit a single up the middle, scoring junior center fielder Michael Gulino (Meriden, CT/Maloney) to go up by three runs.
- Salmonese then singled down the right-field, plating Capaldi to give the Setters a 7-3 lead.
- Luongo managed to score on a passed ball to make it 8-3, and then senior designated hitter John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) smacked a single to right-center, plating senior catcher Frank Mayo (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) from second to put the Setters up by six.
 
Bottom 5th – Pace
- With the bases loaded and nobody out, Luongo lined a single to right-center, scoring De Lotto and Gulino to put the Setters on top, 11-3.
- Salmonese later hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Capaldi to make it a nine-run Setter lead.
 
Bottom 6th – Pace
- Gulino hit an RBI single to center that scored Piccolino with two away to give the Setters a 13-3 lead. With his hit, the entire starting lineup for Pace had a base hit in the game.
 
Top 8th – Dominican
- With runners on the corners, Decker hit a double to left, scoring center fielder Arbely Soto to make it a 13-4 game.
- With the bases loaded later in the inning, a line drive landed in front of Gulino in center. He was able to throw the runner from first out at second, but another run came in to make it a 13-5 ball game.
 
Top 9th – Dominican
- Pinch hitter Brandon Simone hit a solo home run to lead off the ninth for the Chargers, but they could not string a rally together, as Pace picked up the seven-run victory.
 
PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Ryan Aquino (Mamaroneck, NY/Rye Neck) (2-1)
Loss: John-Michael Broderick (2-1)
 
Pitching Notes
- Junior starter Ryan Aquino (Mamaroneck, NY/Rye Neck) went seven innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out four to pick up his second win of the season.
 
SETTER STATS
- Luongo hit 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a run scored to lead the Setters to victory.
- Salmonese batted 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run.
- Capaldi went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
- Kukura finished up 2-for-3 with an RBI, a run and two walks out of the leadoff spot.
 
CHARGER LEADERS
- Decker batted 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a run and a double.
- Soto hit 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
- Gray went 1-for-3 with an RBI triple.
 
TEAM RECORDS
Pace: 5-6
Ohio Dominican: 4-8
 
UP NEXT:
- The Setters get back to work quickly as they take on Queens College in a doubleheader at Peter X. Finnerty Field on Tuesday, March 21. First pitch of Game 1 is set for 3 p.m.
 
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