PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University baseball team kicked off Northeast-10 Conference play on the right foot, taking two from Saint Michael's College in Saturday's doubleheader at Peter X. Finnerty Field. A brilliant start by junior
Ryan Aquino (Mamaroneck, NY/Rye Neck) in Game 1 lifted Pace to a 4-0 victory, and then the bats caught fire once again for a 14-2 win in the finale.
GAME 1: PACE 4, SAINT MICHAEL'S 0
SCORING PLAYS
Bottom 1st – Pace
- Senior center fielder
John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) reached on an error by the third baseman to open the game for Pace.
- He then moved to second on a wild pitch, and then to third on a single by junior shortstop
Paul Piccolino (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell).
- Piccolino then drew a throw down to second after taking a big lead, allowing Kukura to steal home to put the Setters ahead 1-0 early on.
Bottom 4th – Pace
- Junior left fielder
Michael Gulino (Meriden, CT/Maloney) led off the fourth with a single down the left-field line.
- Senior designated hitter
Domenick Luongo (Darien, CT/Cardinal Spellman) then blasted the second home run of his career, a no-doubter over the right-field fence to put the Setters ahead, 3-0.
Bottom 6th – Pace
- With runners on second and third, senior catcher
Frank Mayo (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) hit a long fly ball to center, allowing senior right fielder
Cory Capaldi (Telford, PA/Souderton) to score from third and make it a four-run lead for the Setters.
GAME 1 PITCHING DECISIONS
Win:
Ryan Aquino (Mamaroneck, NY/Rye Neck) (3-1)
Loss: Trevor Allen (0-1)
Pitching Notes
- Aquino tossed all nine innings, allowing just three hits and striking out six batters without allowing a run to pick up the complete-game shutout for the win.
- Saint Michael's starter Trevor Allen gave up four runs (three earned) in 5.1 frames.
GAME 1 SETTER STATS
- Luongo went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in the win.
- Capaldi hit 1-for-3 with a run scored.
- Piccolino batted 3-for-4.
GAME 1 PURPLE KNIGHT LEADERS
- Right fielder Joe Robertson went 2-for-4.
- First baseman Sean Winthrop batted 1-for-3.
GAME 2: PACE 14, SAINT MICHAEL'S 2
SCORING PLAYS
Bottom 2nd – Pace
- The Setters brought in nine runs while sending 14 batters to the plate in the second inning.
- Sophomore catcher
Michael Barbato (Sparkill, NY/Tappan Zee) got the scoring started with an RBI single that scored sophomore second baseman
Michael Salmonese (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick).
- Senior designated hitter
James Wynne (North Salem, NY/North Salem) then scored on a wild pitch.
- Piccolino slammed a triple, bringing in Barbato and Kukura to make it a 4-0 game.
- Gulino then doubled in Piccolino to put Pace up by five.
- Salmonese provided a sacrifice fly to center to give Pace a 6-0 edge.
- Junior third baseman
Matthew Kurdewan (Neptune, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) later legged out a three-RBI triple to cap off the nine-run frame.
Bottom 3rd – Pace
- It did not take long for the Setters to score again, as Capaldi knocked in Piccolino on an RBI single up the middle to make it a 10-0 game.
- Capaldi later came home on an RBI single by Salmonese to send the game to the fourth with an 11-0 score.
Top 7th – Saint Michael's
- A wild pitch and a fielder's choice provided the two runs for the Purple Knights in the seventh.
Bottom 7th – Pace
- Senior first baseman
Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) slapped a double into left-center, scoring sophomore
Riley Iafrate (Harrington Park, NJ/Don Bosco Prep) and Gulino to make it a 13-2 game.
- De Lotto later scored when Wynne legged out an RBI single to third, representing the final run of the game.
GAME 2 PITCHING DECISIONS
Win:
Anthony Rocco (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) (2-0)
Loss: Zack Lanzillo (0-1)
Pitching Notes
- Rocco threw six scoreless innings with an impressive nine strikeouts while yielding just five hits.
- Junior
Jake Amoroso (Stratford, CT/St. Joseph) came in for the ninth and kept the Purple Knights off the board.
GAME 2 SETTER STATS
- Kurdewan batted 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a triple.
- Salmonese knocked in two runs and scored another in a 2-for-3 outing.
- De Lotto hit 1-for-3 with two RBIs, two runs and a double.
- Piccolino finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a triple.
- Barbato went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
GAME 2 PURPLE KNIGHT LEADERS
- Winthrop hit 1-for-5 with Saint Michael's only RBI.
- Catcher PJ Jasak batted 2-for-4.
- Robertson went 1-for-3 with a run scored and a triple.
TEAM RECORDS
Pace: 8-7 (2-0 NE10)
Saint Michael's: 0-2 (0-2 NE10
UP NEXT:
- The Setters get no time to rest as they return to action on Sunday, March 26, in another NE10 doubleheader against Saint Anselm College. First pitch of Game 1 is slated for 12 p.m.
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