PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University baseball team split a doubleheader with Queens College on Tuesday at Peter X. Finnerty Field. The Setters grabbed the win in Game 1 by a score of 7-4, but fell in the finale, 4-1.
 
GAME 1: PACE 7, QUEENS 4
SCORING PLAYS
Bottom 2nd – Pace
- A hit-by-pitch, a single and a walk loaded the bases for freshman third baseman Brian Bohlander (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland) with one away.
- Bohlander hit a slow chopper to third, which senior designated hitter Domenick Luongo (Darien, CT/Cardinal Spellman) was able to beat out at the plate, putting the Setters ahead, 1-0.
 
Bottom 3rd - Pace
- With runners on second and third and two down, Luongo beat out a grounder to first, allowing junior shortstop Paul Piccolino (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) to score from third and double Pace's lead.
- Senior first baseman Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) then came home on a wild pitch, making it a 3-0 lead for the Setters.
 
Top 6th – Queens
- An error with two outs in the sixth brought Queens' first run around to score.
- Center fielder Andrew Navarez then singled to left-center, plating another run to get the Knights within a run.
 
Bottom 6th – Pace
- Sophomore second baseman Michael Salmonese (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick) opened the sixth with an infield single to short.
- Senior catcher Frank Mayo (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) then doubled to center, bringing Salmonese all the way home from first to improve Pace's lead to 4-2.
- Junior shortstop Paul Piccolino (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) then hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Mayo to bring the lead to 5-2.
- De Lotto followed suit with another sacrifice fly to right, scoring Bohlander for a 6-2 advantage.
 
Bottom 7th – Pace
- Salmonese made it a 7-2 game after hitting his first-career home run in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Top 8th – Queens
- Designated hitter Joseph Pidoto scored on a passed ball to get Queens within four runs.
- A wild pitch then brought in right fielder Thomas Parish from third, but it was the last run Queens scored, as the Setters held on to win by three.
 
GAME 1 PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Dan Wirchansky (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland/RCC) (1-2)
Loss: Nick Morena (2-1)
Save: Michael Amato (Farmingville, NY/Sachem East/Suffolk CC) (2)
 
Pitching Notes
- Sophomore starter Dan Wirchansky (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland/RCC) earned his first win as a Setter after tossing six innings without allowing an earned run. He gave up just five hits and struck out seven batters.
- Junior closer Michael Amato (Farmingville, NY/Sachem East/Suffolk CC) picked up his second save of the year after shutting down the Knights for the final two outs of the game.
 
GAME 1 SETTER STATS
- Salmonese went 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI.
- Mayo, De Lotto, Piccolino and Luongo all had matching 1-for-3, one-RBI, one-run games. De Lotto and Mayo each hit a double in the win.
 
GAME 1 KNIGHT LEADERS
- Parish batted 2-for-2 with two runs scored.
- Shortstop Kevin Kolesar went 3-for-5.
 
GAME 2: QUEENS 4, PACE 1 (scheduled 7 innings)
SCORING PLAYS
Top 1st – Queens
- First baseman Joseph Pidoto brought in the Knights' first run with a sacrifice fly to right to make it an early 1-0 lead for Queens.
- Parish then beat out an infield single to score left fielder Paulino Harrington from third to give the Knights a 2-0 advantage.
 
Top 4th – Queens
- Right fielder Karl Klesin brought in catcher Ryan Bender on a single through the left side, giving Queens a 3-0 lead.
- Pidoto then knocked in another run on a fielder's choice that put the visitors ahead by four.
 
Bottom 6th – Pace
- Senior center fielder John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) doubled to center, and then moved to third on a wild pitch with one away.
- With two down, De Lotto ripped a single into left, plating Kukura to get the Setters on the board.
 
GAME 2 PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Joseph Broderick (1-2)
Loss: Kyle Cashman (Hicksville, NY/Hicksville) (0-2)
 
Pitching Notes
- Broderick went the complete seven innings, allowing one run on three hits and 13 strikeouts to get the win.
- Cashman threw the first three innings, giving up just two runs and striking out two.
- Sophomore Kevin Wiltse (East Setauket, NY/Ward Mellville) pitched the final three frames, striking out three batters and yielding just a single hit.
 
GAME 2 SETTER STATS
- Kukura batted 1-for-3 with a run scored and a double.
- De Lotto went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
- Senior left fielder James Wynne (North Salem, NY/North Salem) also hit 1-for-3 in the game.
 
GAME 2 KNIGHT LEADERS
- Klesin went 3-for-4 with an RBI.
- Pidoto knocked in two runs while going 1-for-3.
- Parish hit 2-for-4 with an RBI.
 
TEAM RECORDS
Pace: 6-7
Queens: 6-5
 
UP NEXT:
- The Setters continue their busy week on Thursday, March 23, when they take on Concordia College at Peter X. Finnerty Field. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
- This game was rescheduled from Wednesday to Thursday because of expected frigid temperatures in Pleasantville on Wednesday.
 
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