PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Sophomore starting pitcher
Dan Wirchansky (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland/RCC) tossed a complete-game shutout to lead the Pace University baseball team to a crucial 9-0 victory over the University of New Haven in Pace's Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division opener on Wednesday at Peter X. Finnerty Field.
SCORING PLAYS
Bottom 1st – Pace
- Senior center fielder
John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) led off with some heads-up base running. He dropped a liner into left, and then took off for second, narrowly legging out a double to immediately put a runner in scoring position.
- Junior shortstop
Paul Piccolino (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) then roped a triple to the warning track in left-center, scoring Kukura to make it a quick 1-0 lead for Pace.
- Senior first baseman
Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) then ripped a single down the right-field line to plate Piccolino and make it a 2-0 game.
- Later in the inning, senior right fielder
Cory Capaldi (Telford, PA/Souderton) dropped a fly ball in front of the center fielder that bounced hard off the turf and over the outfielder's head, allowing Capaldi to pick up an RBI triple to put Pace ahead, 3-0.
Bottom 4th – Pace
- After senior catcher
Frank Mayo (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) reached on an error, junior third baseman
Matthew Kurdewan (Neptune, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) hit a long triple to right-center, scoring Mayo to make it a 4-0 Pace lead.
- Kukura quickly followed up with a double down the left-field line, bringing Kurdewan home to take a five-run advantage.
Bottom 5th – Pace
- Junior left fielder
Michael Gulino (Meriden, CT/Maloney) led off the fifth with a single up the middle.
- Senior designated hitter
Domenick Luongo (Darien, CT/Cardinal Spellman) then walked to put two runners on.
- Capaldi slammed a ground-rule double to right, scoring Gulino to make it 6-0.
- Mayo then grounded out to short, allowing Luongo to come home from third and give the Setters a 7-0 edge.
Bottom 8th – Pace
- Piccolino beat out a grounder to the shortstop for a single with one away in the inning.
- With two down, Gulino blasted a two-run homer over the left-field wall to improve Pace's lead to nine runs.
PITCHING DECISIONS
Win:
Dan Wirchansky (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland/RCC) (2-2)
Loss: Mike Schettino (0-1)
Pitching Notes
- Wirchansky tossed the first complete-game shutout of his young career as a Setter. He struck out nine batters over nine frames while allowing just four hits to grab his second win of the season.
SETTER STATS
- Capaldi hit 3-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and two RBIs in the win.
- Gulino finished 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.
- Kukura stroked a pair of doubles, scored a run and knocked in another in a 2-for-4 outing.
- Piccolino batted 2-for-3 with two runs, and RBI and a triple.
- De Lotto went 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Kurdewan hit 1-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and a run.
CHARGER LEADERS
- Center fielder Matt Chamberlain hit 1-for-2.
- Second baseman Nick Russo, first baseman Andrew Garcia and catcher PJ Contreras each went 1-for-4.
TEAM RECORDS
Pace: 12-7 (5-0 NE10, 1-0 SW)
New Haven: 7-3 (2-1 NE10, 0-1 SW)
UP NEXT:
- The Setters will play next on Thursday, March 30, when they host Bloomfield College in a newly scheduled game to be played at Peter X. Finnerty Field. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.
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