BASEBALL SWEEPS MERRIMACK, WINS FOURTH STRAIGHT
NORTH ANDOVER, MA - The Pace baseball team swept a twin bill from Merrimack College, taking the opener 6-2, and completing the sweep with an 8-3 victory in the nightcap. The Setters improve to 25-20 and 15-8 in the NE-10, while the Warriors fall to 12-22 overall and 9-14 in conference play.
Pace scored a run on the third inning as Jack Cawley (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) and Joe Barracato (Westbury, NY/Clarke) ripped back-to-back two-out doubles to get the Setters on the board.
The scored stayed at 1-0 until the Setters had a big rally in the eighth. Barracato reached on an infield single and stole second. Matt Arburr (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) and Matt Rigoli (Parsippany, NJ/Parsippany) drew back-to-back one-out walks to load the bases. After the second out of the inning, Chris Brown (West Kingston, RI/South Kingston) also walked to force home Barracato. Andre Liscinsky's (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) single scored Arburr, while Adam Harwood (Los Angeles, CA/Brentwood) base hit drove in Brown and Rigoli. Cawley reached base on an error by the Warrior shortstop, allowing Liscinsky to score the Setters' fifth run of the inning. The Warriors threatened in the eighth, scoring twice but the rally was extinguished as Setter reliever Eric Brown (Norwalk, CT/Norwalk) came on to end the threat.
Pace starter Angelo Fusaro (Stamford, CT/Westhill) tossed seven innings, allowing six hits and two runs, while striking out four on his way to moving his record to 5-3 on the season. Brown pitched the final two innings, without giving up a hit or run.
In the nightcap, Barracato got the Setters going again, ripping a one-out single in the opening inning. Ted Mullen (Madison, CT/ Choate Rosemary Hall) doubled to put runners on second and third. Arburr put the Setters on the board with a two-run double down the left field line. Neil Ross (Cortland Manor, NY) had a two-out run scoring single to drive in Arburr. The Setters added to their lead in the second as Liscinsky led off with a single. Harwood followed with a walk, while Barracato drew a walk following an out. Arburr ripped another base hit, scoring Harwood and Liscinsky. Pace cruised from there tacking on insurance runs in the fourth, fifth and eighth innings en route to the sweep.
Starter Dustin Corbett (Vestal, NY/Vestal) went seven innings, allowing six hits and three runs, while striking out six on his way to improving hit record to 5-4 on the season. Frank Luongo (West Harrison, NY/Harrison) came on in relief going to final two innings of no-hit shutout ball.
The Setters and Warriors will complete the three-game set on
Sunday, April 29 for a single game beginning at 11 am in North
Andover, MA. Following the game, the Setters will travel to the
campus of Stonehill College in Easton, MA to take on Saint Anselm
College in a make-up game with start time TBD.
