WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The Pace University dropped a back-and-forth contest by a score of 3-2 to the University of New Haven on Thursday in a Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division matchup at Frank Vieira Field.
SCORING PLAYS
Top 1st - Pace
- Senior center fielder
John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) opened the game with a walk, and then sophomore shortstop
Michael Salmonese (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick) singled on a bunt to quickly get two runners on board.
- A fielder's choice then left runners on the corners, and junior left fielder
Michael Gulino (Meriden, CT/Maloney) brought in Kukura with a single to left, putting the Setters ahead, 1-0, early in the contest.
Bottom 1st – New Haven
- The Chargers ub themselves with runners on second and third with two outs when third baseman Jack Zagaja legged out a grounder to short, plating center fielder Matt Chamberlain to tie the game.
Top 3rd – Pace
- Kukura doubled to open the third, and was sacrificed over to third by Salmonese.
- Senior first baseman
Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) then knocked him in on a single to left, putting Pace ahead, 2-1.
Bottom 5th – New Haven
- Chamberlain doubled with one away, and moved to third on an error.
- Shortstop Tom Walraven then singled up the middle, scoring Chamberlain to tie things up at 2-2.
Bottom 6th – New Haven
- Zagaja kicked off the sixth with a double down the right-field line, and advanced to third on a fly out by designated hitter Joe Caico.
- First baseman Andrew Garcia then singled down the left-field line, scoring Zagaja to put the home team ahead, 3-2.
PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Josh Walker (3-1)
Loss:
Ryan Aquino (Mamaroneck, NY/Rye Neck) (6-3)
Save: Kellen Croce (5)
SETTER STATS
- Gulino hit 3-for-4 with an RBI.
- Kukura batted 1-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.
- Junior third baseman
Matthew Kurdewan (Neptune, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) turned in a 2-for-4 effort.
- De Lotto knocked in a run after going 1-for-4.
CHARGER LEADERS
- Chamberlain scored twice after going 2-for-3 with a double.
- Zagaja had an RBI and a run in a 2-for-4 outing, including a two-bagger.
- Garcia finished 3-for-4 with an RBI.
TEAM RECORDS
Pace: 23-14 (12-7 NE10, 5-6 SW)
New Haven: 19-9 (10-7 NE10, 7-4 SW)
UP NEXT:
- Pace hits the road to take on the College of Saint Rose in a three-game series starting with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 29. First pitch of Game 1 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).
