SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Highlighted by a stellar pitching performance from senior Ryan Aquino (Mamaroneck, NY/Rye Neck) in Game One, the Pace University baseball team split a Saturday doubleheader at American International College. The Setters, who finish the weekend with a series win over AIC, earned a 9-0 triumph in the day's opener before falling 4-1 in Game Two.
Inside the Numbers
*Aquino tossed a complete-game gem in Pace's shutout win in Game One. The right-hander scattered just three hits, while striking out a career-high 10 batters.
*Freshman Matt Almonte (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) was red-hot in Game One, going 5-for-5 with three RBIs.
*Michael Salmonese (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick) put together four hits across the two games, and scored three runs in the opener.
*Michael Gulino (Meriden, CT/Maloney) and Michael Barbato (Sparkill, NY/Tappan Zee) each registered three walks on the day, while Gulino also tallied three runs scored. As a team, the Setters recorded 11 walks in the two games, including eight in the first contest.
*Pace mustered just five hits in the finale, led by a pair of knocks from junior Felix Camacho (Bronx, NY/St. Raymond's High School for Boys / Westchester Community College).
*Kevin Wiltse (East Setauket, NY/Ward Mellville/University of Hartford) strung together a solid outing in Pace's loss. The right-hander allowed just a single unearned run in three innings out of the bullpen.
Game One Recap – Pace 9, AIC 0
The Setters jumped all over AIC in the Saturday opener, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Pace converted on a Yellow Jackets' error, one of six on the game, for its first run while Almonte provided a 2-0 lead with an RBI single to center. Gulino scored on the play after walking with one out.
Although the two runs would have been more than enough for Aquino, the Blue and Gold tacked on three more in the third, one in the fifth, and three in the ninth.
Almonte knocked RBI hits in two of the innings, while Gulino initiated a bases-loaded walk in the ninth. The Setters opened the final frame with two hits and two walks before putting three more on the scoreboard.
Game Two Recap – AIC 4, Pace 1
The Yellow Jackets used a stellar pitching outing from Jason Coscio to record their first win of the three-game series. Coscio allowed just five hits, and one unearned run in the ninth inning.
On the other side, freshman Thomas Ippolito (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) tallied the loss for the Setters. Ippolito yielded three earned runs over the first five innings. He also allowed five hits, while striking out five.
The Yellow Jackets scored one in the third off a Josh Aviles RBI ground out before putting two across in the fifth. Matt Costanza and Matt Krause each had RBIs in the fifth.
Trent Dillon capped off AIC's scoring in the sixth with an RBI single to right-center, leading to a 4-0 edge.
Pace's lone tally in Game Two came courtesy of a Camacho RBI fielder's choice in the ninth. The Setters had the tying run to bat in the final inning (runners on first and third), but were unable put any more runs across.
Up Next
The Blue and Gold travel to take on No. 7 New Haven on Tuesday afternoon (3:30 p.m.). Pace defeated the Chargers earlier this season in West Haven, 4-1.
