PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University baseball team hosted Le Moyne College for a huge Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division doubleheader at Peter X. Finnerty Field on Saturday. Pace fell by a score of 1-0 in Game 1, but bounced back to pick up a 9-7 victory in the finale for the split. The Setters also honored seven graduating seniors between games in a special Senior Day ceremony.
GAME 1: LE MOYNE 1, PACE 0
SCORING PLAYS
Top 7th – Le Moyne
- Catcher Gabe Levanti singled with one away, and then shortstop Josiah Gray hit a ground-rule double to left to put runners on second and third.
- Right fielder Mark Martin then hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Levanti for the only run of the game.
GAME 1 PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Damian Powers (4-3)
Loss:
Ryan Aquino (Mamaroneck, NY/Rye Neck) (6-2)
Save: Josiah Gray (9)
Pitching Notes
- Junior starter
Ryan Aquino (Mamaroneck, NY/Rye Neck) tossed eight innings, giving up just one run on five hits with three strikeouts.
GAME 1 SETTER STATS
- Sophomore second baseman
Riley Iafrate (Harrington Park, NJ/Don Bosco Prep) hit 2-for-4 with a double.
- Seniors
Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) and
Cory Capaldi (Telford, PA/Souderton) each batted 1-for-4.
- Senior center fielder
John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) went 0-for-1, but reached base three times with two walks and a hit-by-pitch. He also stole a base.
GAME 1 DOLPHIN LEADERS
- Gray batted 1-for-4 with a double, and then came in to close out the game and earn his ninth save.
- Levanti hit 2-for-4 with a run.
- First baseman Brian Cox batted 2-for-3.
- Martin had the only RBI on a sacrifice fly, going 0-for-2.
GAME 2: PACE 9, LE MOYNE 7
SCORING PLAYS
Top 2nd – Le Moyne
- Gray got the scoring started in Game 2 with an RBI single to left-center, scoring left fielder JT Pittman to put the Dolphins up, 1-0.
Bottom 2nd – Pace
- Junior first baseman
Michael Gulino (Meriden, CT/Maloney) opened the second with a single to right, and then Capaldi reached on an error to third.
- Senior catcher
Frank Mayo (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and then Iafrate drew a walk to tie the game.
- Senior designated hitter
James Wynne (North Salem, NY/North Salem) then singled through the right side, knocking in two runs to put the Setters ahead, 3-1.
- Kukura followed with a ground-rule double to deep center, scoring another two runs to make it a 5-1 Pace lead.
- In his second at bat of the inning, Gulino tripled to right-center, knocking in another two runs to leave the Setters on top, 7-1.
Top 3rd – Le Moyne
- Center fielder Timothy Corapi walked to lead off the third, and then Cox reached on an error to put runners on the corners.
- Later in the inning, catcher Camillo Spinoso singled up the middle, plating Corapi to make it 7-2.
- Designated hitter Nick Place then doubled to left-center, scoring another two runs to get Le Moyne within three.
Bottom 3rd – Pace
- Mayo led off with a single through the left side, and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Iafrate.
- Wynne reached on an error to put runners on the corners, and another error that put sophomore shortstop
Michael Salmonese (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick) on base brought in Mayo to make it an 8-4 ballgame.
Bottom 4th – Pace
- Gulino legged out a grounder to shortstop to start the fourth, and then moved to second on a wild pitch.
- Capaldi then drew a walk, but with one away, Mayo grounded into a fielder's choice, forcing Gulino out at third.
- Iafrate picked up a two-out single to center, knocking in Capaldi to put the Setters ahead by five.
Top 5th – Le Moyne
- With the bases loaded, Pittman drew a walk, getting the Dolphins back within four runs.
Top 7th – Le Moyne
- With a runner on first, Pittman doubled to right-center, putting two runners in scoring position for the Dolphins with one away.
- Levanti was then hit by a pitch to load the bases.
- Martin picked up an infield single to short, scoring Spinoso to make it 6-9.
Top 8th – Pace
- Second baseman Ben Walsh and Spinoso hit back-to-back singles with one out, and Walsh moved over to third with two down after a throwing error.
- Pittman then singled between first and second, plating Walsh to make it a two-run ballgame.
GAME 2 PITCHING DECISIONS
Win:
Kevin Wiltse (East Setauket, NY/Ward Mellville) (3-0)
Loss: Sean Pisik (6-2)
Save:
Anthony Criscione (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Spellman) (2)
Pitching Notes
- Sophomore reliever
Kevin Wiltse (East Setauket, NY/Ward Mellville) did not allow a hit in two innings of relief work. He gave up one run and struck out three batters.
- Junior reliever
Anthony Criscione (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Spellman) got his second save of the years after tossing 1.2 scoreless frames to close out the game. He gave up just one run and struck out two.
GAME 2 SETTER STATS
- Gulino batted 4-for-5 with a triple, a double, two RBIs and a run scored.
- Wynne finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs, a run and a pair of walks.
- Iafrate hit 1-for-1 with two walks, two RBIs, a run scored and a stolen base.
- Mayo went 1-for-4 with two runs.
- Kukura hit 1-for-5 with two RBIs, a run and a double.
GAME 2 DOLPHIN LEADERS
- Pittman hit 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a run and a double.
- Spinoso also went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI.
- Place knocked in two runs after hitting 1-for-4 with a double.
TEAM RECORDS
Pace: 23-12 (12-5 NE10, 5-4 SW)
Le Moyne: 23-12 (10-4 NE10, 7-3 SW)
UP NEXT:
- The Setters and Dolphins play one more on Sunday, April 23, to close out the three-game weekend series. First pitch from Finnerty Field is set for 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).
