NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Pace University baseball team made a statement on Saturday in its effort to earn a spot in the postseason, rolling to an 18-1 victory over Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division leader Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) to take a step closer to clinching a spot in the playoffs.
 
SCORING PLAYS
Top 1st – Pace
- With runners on second and third after a wild pitch, senior second baseman John Kukura (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) grounded out to second, but was able to knock in sophomore shortstop Michael Salmonese (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick) to give Pace a quick 1-0 lead.
 
Top 2nd – Pace
- Senior right fielder Cory Capaldi (Telford, PA/Souderton) opened the second with a single to left, and then senior left fielder Domenick Luongo (Darien, CT/Cardinal Spellman) doubled to left to put two runners in scoring position.
- Senior designated hitter James Wynne (North Salem, NY/North Salem) then dropped a double into the outfield, scoring Capaldi but forcing Luongo to hold at third, still giving Pace a 2-0 advantage.
- Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Salmonese grounded into a double play, but was able to score Luongo and make it 3-0.
- Senior catcher Frank Mayo (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) followed with an RBI single to right-center to put Pace ahead by four.
 
Bottom 2nd – SCSU
- After Kyle Hart was hit by a pitch, Mike DeMartino doubled down the right-field line to bring in what proved to be SCSU's only run of the game.
 
Top 4th - Pace
- Kurdewan walked, and then Salmonese reached on an error to start the fourth.
- Mayo then singled in Kurdewan, followed by a double by Kukura to score Salmonese and make it a 6-1 lead for Pace.
- Junior center fielder Michael Gulino (Meriden, CT/Maloney) then doubled down the left-field line to plate both Mayo and Kukura to take an 8-1 lead.
- Luongo later hit an RBI single to score Gulino and leave Pace with a 9-1 edge.
 
Top 7th – Pace
- Kurdewan hit a two-out solo homer to give the Setters a nine-run lead.
 
Top 8th – Pace
- With two on, senior first baseman Garrett De Lotto (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) hit an RBI single to center, scoring Kukura to make it a 10-run game.
- Capaldi hit an RBI double to center, and Wynne later walked with the bases loaded to make it 13-1.
- Kurdewan drew another walk to plate another run, and then Salmonese singled to left to put the Setters ahead by 14.
- Mayo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in another run, and Gulino capped off the eight-run frame with a two-RBI double to left to give Pace a commanding 18-1 lead.
 
PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Dan Wirchansky (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland/RCC) (4-4)
Loss: Cole Bryant (8-1)
 
Pitching Notes
- Sophomore starter Dan Wirchansky (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland/RCC) tossed eight innings, giving up just one run on six hits with four strikeouts to earn a huge victory for the Setters.
 
SETTER STATS
- Gulino finished 3-for-5 with two doubles, four RBIs and two runs scored.
- Kurdewan batted 2-for-3 with three runs, an RBI, a solo homer and a double.
- Kukura hit 2-for-6 with a pair of two-baggers, two RBIs and two runs.
- Luongo went 3-for-4 with two runs, an RBI and a double.
- Capaldi batted 2-for-5 with two runs, an RBI and a double.
- Mayo knocked in two runs and scored another in a 2-for-4 effort.
- Salmonese hit 1-for-7, but scored three times and knocked in another run.
 
OWL LEADERS
- DeMartino hit 1-for-4 with the Owls' only RBI of the game.
 
TEAM RECORDS
Pace: 27-16 (15-9 NE10, 8-8 SW)
SCSU: 26-12-1 (14-6 NE10, 13-3 SW)
 
UP NEXT:
- The Setters and Owls play two more times on Sunday, May 7, to close out the regular season. After Adelphi University was beaten twice by Le Moyne College Saturday afternoon, Pace needs just one win on Sunday, or a loss by Adelphi, to earn a berth into the 2017 Northeast-10 Conference Baseball Championships. 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).
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