SETTERS SURVIVE LATE SAINT THOMAS RALLY TO WIN, 4-3
PLEASANTVILLE, NY- The Setters withstood a ninth inning rally by Saint Thomas Aquinas to defeat the Spartans, 4-3, in a non-conference game at Finnerty Field on Pace's Pleasantville campus. The Setters improve to 24-14 overall, while Saint Thomas Aquinas falls to 19-15.
Saint Thomas Aquinas jumped on the board first, tallying one run in the fourth inning. With two outs, Javier Diaz (Dobson, NC/East Surry, NC) reached base on an infield single. John Muller (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) followed with a run-scoring double to left to drive in Diaz.
The Setters rallied in the fifth as Adam Harwood (Los Angeles, CA/Brentwood) drew a one out walk. Matt Bisbano (Mt. Kisco, NY/Fox Lane) singled to left field, moving Harwood to second. Harwood and Bisbano each advanced a base as Spartan pitcher Michael Pasch's (Montvale, NJ/Pascack Hills) attempted pickoff throw to second base sailed into center field. Chris Brown (West Kingston, RI/South Kingston) drove in Harwood with a sacrifice fly to right to tie the score at one.
In the sixth, Andre Liscinsky (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Jack Cawley (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) bunted down the third baseline and beat out the throw to first, while Liscinsky advanced to third. Liscinsky scored as Matt Arburr (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) ripped a single to left.
The following inning, Brown singled to left and advanced to second on a groundout. Brown would score on two consecutive wild pitches. In the eighth, Joe Barracato (Westbury, NY/Clarke) singled to shortstop, proceeded to steal second and reached third on a passed ball. Bisbano singled to drive in Barracato.
The Spartans rallied in the ninth as Mike Triana (New Milford, NJ/New Milford) singled to right. Muller hit a fly ball to right that was mishandled by Setter right fielder Bisbano, allowing Triana to reach third, while Muller advanced to second. Ryan Polacco (Kingston, NY/Kingston) grounded out to short, scoring Triana. On the same play, Muller also scored as Setter first baseman Arburr made an errant throw to third attempting to put out Muller. Setter pitcher Matt Reilly (Denville, NJ/Morris Knolls) retired to final two batters to secure his second complete game of the season.
For the Setters, Cawley, Arburr and Bisbano each collected two hits on the afternoon. On the mound, Reilly tossed a complete game five-hitter, allowing three runs (one earned), while striking out five. For Saint Thomas Aquinas, Pasch pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing six hits, and three runs (two earned), while recording two strikeouts. Jonathan Della Monica (Nanuet, NY/Albertus Magnus) threw 2/3 of an inning, allowing one unearned run and three hits. Muller hurled a scoreless 2/3 of an inning, tallying one strikeout.
The Setters return to action when they travel to Albany, NY to
face Northeast-10 Conference opponent College of Saint Rose on
Tuesday, April 25, at 3:30 pm.