Baseball

PACE BASEBALL SLUGS PAST STONEHILL, 14-2
RIGOLI AND ZRENDA COMBINE FOR TWO HOMERUNS AND SEVEN RBI'S

PLEASANTVILLE, NY - The Pace University baseball team snapped a four-game losing streak in dramatic fashion defeating the Skyhawks of Stonehill College, 14-2, in Northeast-10 Conference baseball action this afternoon at Finnerty Field on the Pleasantville Campus of Pace University. The Setters improve to 15-17 on the season, 8-5 in the NE-10, while the Skyhawks fall to 11-16 overall, 5-10 in conference play.

Junior Matt Rigoli (Parsippany, NJ/Parsippany) and freshman Aaron Zrenda (Niantic, CT/Loomis Chaffee Prep) provided the fireworks for Pace as the duo combined for two homeruns and seven RBI's. Rigoli's grand slam over the left field wall capped a six-run bottom of the second, while Zrenda's three-run homerun down the left field line sparked a five-run fourth.

The Setters scored the first run of the game in the second on an RBI double by Ray Caronia (Paramus, NJ/Paramus) that scored Neil Ross (Cortland Manor, NY/Walter Panas), who doubled down the left field line to start the inning. Caronia would advance to third on a single by Christopher Spatakowski (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) and score on an RBI single by Jack Cawley (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep). Andre Liscinsky (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) followed with a single to right that loaded the bases, setting up Rigoli's grand slam, which scored Spatakowski, Cawley and Liscinsky.

Pace added another three runs in the third, as Cawley's two-run triple to center brought home Caronia and Spatakowski, who singled and walked respectively to reach base. Cawley would come home on a sacrifice fly to right field by Liscinsky.  The Setters finished their scoring surge in the fourth as Ted Mullen (Madison, CT/Choate Rosemary Hall) and Ross both drew walks to start the inning, which set up Zrenda's three-run shot. Cawley later drove in his fourth run on the afternoon on an RBI double to left center, scoring Spatakowski, who reached base on a fielding error by the left fielder. After a pair of walks loaded the bases, Matt Arburr's (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) RBI single to centerfield scoring Cawley was the final Pace run of the game.

Picking up the win for Pace was Zach Dayton (North Falmouth, MA/Falmouth) (1-1), who tossed five solid innings allowing just two hits, while walking three and striking out six. Dayton's counterpart Matt Giusti (2-4) lasted only 1 1/3 innings, giving up six runs on seven hits, while walking two and striking out two.

The Skyhawks scored both of their runs on wild pitches, as Matt Zitano scored in the seventh and Max Vigliotti scored in the eighth.

The Setters returns to action tomorrow, Wednesday, April 11^th, as these two very same teams will meet up once again, this time in North Easton, MA. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.