SETTERS WIN NE-10 OPENER, 4-2, OVER ASSUMPTION
WORCESTER, MA- The Pace University baseball team defeated
Assumption College, 4-2, in their 2006 Northeast-10 Conference
opener. Pace improves to 14-5 overall while opening the year
at 1-0 in conference play. Assumption drops to 3-13 overall and 0-4
in NE-10 play.
The Setters struck first, scoring twice in the first inning. Jack Cawley (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) reached on a throwing error with two outs, advancing to second base on the play. After Matt Castellano (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph) was hit by a pitch, both runners moved up a base on a passed ball. Cawley would score after Matt Arburr's (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) ground ball back to the pitcher was missed play. Mike Pahira (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) singled to right center scoring Castellano with the game's second run.
Assumption would bounce back in the third inning when Jeff Barbale (Charleton, MA/St.Peter-Marian) homered to left centerfield off of Pace starter Dustin Corbett (Vestal, NY/Vestal). Corbett would go on to retire nine of the next 10 Greyhounds he faced.
Pace would tack on another urn in the top of the 6th when Arburr led off with a double to left center. Pahira's ground ball to short moved Arburr to third base and Adam Harwood's (Los Angeles, CA/Brentwood) fly ball to left field was deep enough to score Arburr on the sacrifice fly.
Assumption would answer in the bottom half of the inning. Steve Scannell (Worcester, MA/Burncoat) walked and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt. After Corbett retired the next two batters, Barbale walked. Barbale would get caught in a rundown, allowing Scannell to advance to third and score on the play.
The Setters would give themselves an insurance run in the top of the 9th inning. Cawley singled with one out to left field and stole second base. Arburr would single with two outs, scoring Cawley.
Earl Oakes (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) entered the game with two outs in the bottom of the 8th. Oakes struck out three Greyhounds for his 6th save of the season. He relieved Angelo Fusaro (Stamford, CT/Westhill), who held Assumption to one hit over 1 2/3. Corbett was masterful, holding Assumption to two hits over six innings while striking out five and allowing just two earned runs while improving to 2-1 on the season. Arburr's double gives him nine in 19 games while he also leads the team with 30 runs-batted-in and 24 runs scored. Harwood's sacrifice fly gives him 16 RBI, good for second for Pace.
For Assumption, Mike Gibbon (Gloucester, MA/Gloucester) took the loss on the mound. Gibbon scattered five hits over six innings while allowing three runs, one earned. Assumption was held to just three hits in the game, while the Setters had nine different players record hits, with Arburr picking up two.
Pace returns to action when they host Assumption on Thursday,
March 30th at 3:00 p.m. at Finnerty Field on the Pleasantville
campus of Pace University.