BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University baseball team took its first loss of the season on Wednesday at the hands of No. 20 LIU Post by a score of 6-4 in the Setters' first road game of 2017.
SCORING PLAYS
Top 1st – Pace
- The Setters got thing started quickly as senior center fielder
John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) and junior shortstop
Paul Piccolino (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) led off the game with back-to-back singles.
- In his first at bat of the season, junior designated hitter
Michael Gulino (Meriden, CT/Maloney) smacked a single up the middle to score Kukura, putting the Setters on top, 1-0.
Top 5th – Pace
- Kukura led off the fifth with another single, and was then sacrificed over to second by Piccolino.
- After senior first baseman
Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) was hit by a pitch, senior right fielder
Cory Capaldi (Telford, PA/Souderton) singled through the left side, plating Kukura to make it a 2-0 lead for Pace.
Bottom 5th – LIU Post
- Third baseman Michael Greene opened the home half of the fifth with a double down the right-field line.
- Two batters later, center fielder Rob Andreoli singled to left to bring in the first run of the game for the Pioneers and cut the deficit in half.
- Later in the inning, left fielder Kenny Daley hit an RBI double to center to tie the game at 2-2.
- Right fielder Dave Brehm delivered the big blow of the inning, a two-RBI single to left that gave LIU Post a 4-2 lead.
Top 6th – Pace
- The Setters got one back with two away in the sixth when Piccolino singled in senior catcher
Frank Mayo (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) from second to get Pace back within one.
Bottom 6th – LIU Post
- Shortstop Jimmy Mendyk knocked in two more runs for the Pioneers in the sixth with a double to left-center with two runners on, making it a 6-3 lead for the home team.
Top 7th – Pace
- De Lotto opened the inning with an infield single, and was quickly brought around to score when Capaldi doubled to right-center, getting the Setters back within two runs.
PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Noah Lorenzo (3-0)
Loss:
Dan Wirchansky (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland/RCC) (0-1)
Save: Dan Jagiello (3)
Pitching Notes
- Wirchansky went 4.1 frames in his first start as a Setter, yielding three runs and striking out three.
- Junior
Kyle Cashman (Hicksville, NY/Hicksville) came on in the sixth and threw the final three innings, giving up just one hit and no runs while striking out a pair.
- LIU Post starter Noah Lorenzo went six innings, allowing 11 hits and four runs while striking out four.
SETTER STATS
- Eight different batters had two hits in the game for the Setters.
- Capaldi hit 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a double.
- Piccolino batted 2-for-3 with an RBI.
- Gulino returned to the lineup and went 2-for-5 with an RBI.
PIONEER LEADERS
- Brehm went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a stolen base.
- Daley hit 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI, a double and a stolen base.
- Greene scored twice in a 2-for-4 effort.
TEAM RECORDS
Pace: 3-1
#20 LIU Post: 7-4
UP NEXT:
- The Setters will head down to Winter Haven, Fla. this weekend for the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, where they will play six games in five days.
- The Setters begin the week on Saturday, March 11, taking on Saint Joseph's College (Ind.) at 10 a.m.
For all information regarding Pace baseball, log on to
www.PaceUAthletics.com and follow Pace Athletics on Facebook (
T-Bone, Official Mascot of Pace University Athletics) and Twitter (
@PaceUAthletics), and follow Pace baseball on Instagram (
@PaceBaseball).
