PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – After a thrilling final few innings, the Pace University baseball team dropped an 11-9 decision to the University of New Haven Wednesday afternoon in an 11-inning Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division contest at Peter X. Finnerty Field.
SCORING PLAYS
Bottom 1st – Pace
- With sophomore shortstop
Michael Salmonese (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick) on first, senior right fielder
Cory Capaldi (Telford, PA/Souderton) ripped a triple down the right-field line to bring in Pace's first run of the game.
- Senior first baseman
Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) then singled through the right side, scoring Capaldi to put the Setters ahead, 2-0.
Top 3rd – New Haven
- First baseman Andrew Garcia hit a solo home run over the left-field fence to get the Chargers back within a run.
Bottom 3rd – Pace
- After senior center fielder
John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) singled, junior left fielder
Michael Gulino (Meriden, CT/Maloney) blasted a two-run shot over the right-field wall to put the Setters ahead, 4-1.
Bottom 5th – Pace
- Salmonese drew a walk with one away, and then Gulino turned on one and took it deep over the left-field wall for his second two-run homer of the game, giving Pace a 6-1 lead.
Top 8th – New Haven
- Shortstop Tom Walraven led off the eighth with a solo home run over the left field wall to make it a 6-2 ballgame.
- With runners on second and third, right fielder Nick Perrelli singled to right-center, bringing in both runs to pull New Haven within two.
Top 9th – New Haven
- Catcher PJ Contreras tripled with one away, and then Walraven drew a walk to put runners on the corners.
- Second baseman Nick Russo followed with a single to center, scoring Contreras to make it a one-run game.
- Left fielder Robert Petrillo then hit a single to left that was misplayed, allowing a run to come around and score and tie the game.
- Perrelli followed with a sacrifice fly to deep-right, bringing in the leading run for the Chargers.
Bottom 9th – Pace
- With one away, Kukura slammed a game-tying solo home run over the fence in left to make it a 7-7 ballgame.
Top 11th – New Haven
- With the bases loaded and one away, Contreras was hit by a pitch, bringing in the leading run to make it 8-7 New Haven.
- Walraven then drew a walk to make it a 9-7 game, followed by another walk for Russo to push the Charger lead to 10-7.
- A sacrifice fly to center by Petrillo then gave the Chargers a four-run advantage.
Bottom 11th – Pace
- Junior third baseman
Matthew Kurdewan (Neptune, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) drew a walk to open the 11th for Pace.
- Kukura later roped a ground-rule double down the right-field line to put two runners in scoring position.
- Salmonese then beat out a single to the first baseman, scoring Kurdewan to make it 11-8.
- Gulino hit a high-fly ball to right, which was dropped by the right fielder, scoring Kukura to bring Pace within two.
PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Joe Caico (3-0)
Loss:
James Wynne (North Salem, NY/North Salem) (1-1)
Pitching Notes
- Sophomore starter
Dan Wirchansky (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland/RCC) tossed seven innings, allowing just two runs on five hits while striking out seven.
SETTER STATS
- Kukura finished 4-for-6 with a home run, a double, three runs and an RBI.
- Gulino batted 2-for-5 with five RBIs, two runs and a pair of two-run homers.
- Salmonese went 2-for-3 with two runs, an RBI and two stolen bases.
- Capaldi hit 1-for-6 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored.
- Senior designated hitter
Domenick Luongo (Darien, CT/Cardinal Spellman) batted 1-for-3 with a double.
CHARGER LEADERS
- Garcia went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and a double.
- Walraven batted 1-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs.
- Perrelli hit 2-for-6 with two RBIs.
- Contreras finished 1-for-4 with a triple, two runs and an RBI.
TEAM RECORDS
Pace: 19-10 (8-3 NE10, 1-2 SW)
New Haven: 13-7 (7-5 NE10, 4-2 SW)
UP NEXT:
- The Setters get a day off before welcoming American International College to Pleasantville for a weekend three-game series with the Yellow Jackets. They will play a single game on Friday, April 14, at 2 p.m., and then a doubleheader on Saturday, April 15, beginning at 12 p.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).
