BASEBALL DROPS TWO OUT OF THREE TO WILMINGTON
WILMINGTON, DE - The Pace University baseball team lost two out of three games over the weekend to regional foe Wilmington University at Wilson Field in Wilmington, DE. The teams split their doubleheader on Saturday, as the Wildcats took the opener 3-2, while the Setters returned the favor in the second game, 3-2. Wilmington took the rubber game of the weekend series, 7-2, on Sunday. Pace is now 7-3 on the season, while Wilmington moves to 3-9 overall on the year.
Senior hurler Joe Matterer (Newark, DE/Newark) picked up his first win of the season (1-2), as he led the Wildcats in the opener tossing seven strong innings allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits, while striking out two. Classmate Clint Kuhl (Bear, DE/Middletown) closed out the game to earn his first save of the year, as he pitched the final two innings, surrendering just one walk, while fanning two. Pace scored the first runs of the game as a pair of Setters crossed the plate in the top of the second. Senior Matt Rigoli (Parsippany, NJ/Parsippany) doubled to lead off the inning and would advance to third on a passed ball and later score on an error by the shortstop, as classmate Joe Barracato (Westbury, NY/W.T. Clarke) reached base on a fielder's choice. Barracato would also come around to score on an RBI single by sophomore Chris Spatkowski (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern). Wilmington answered scoring their first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth and would later score two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the 3-2 lead, which would end up being the final score. Junior Zach Dayton (North Falmouth, MA/Falmouth) (0-1) was the losing pitcher on record as he went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits, walking one and striking out four. Sophomore Frank Luongo (West Harrison, NY/Harrison) finished the game tossing 2 1/3 hitless innings, giving up just two walks and fanning four.
Pace earned the doubleheader split scoring three runs in the top of the sixth. Senior Jack Cawley (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) drove in the first run of the game as he reached base on an error by the shortstop, scoring sophomore JJ Conrad (Hamburg, NJ/Wallkill Valley), who singled to lead off the inning. Cawley would come around to score on a double by junior Joe Cotone (Yorktown Hts., NY/Lakeland). Cotone would come in to score the final run of the inning, as Rigoli reached base on a second error by the shortstop. Sophomore Aaron Zrenda (Niantic, CT/Loomis Chaffee Prep) (1-1) picked up his first career win pitching 2/3 of relief, allowing one hit and a pair of walks, while striking out one. Freshman Mike Sciarretta (Stamford, CT/Stamford) picked up his first career save closing out the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing one run on one hit and a walk, while fanning three. Sophomore Mackenzie King (Blairstown, NJ /North Warren Regional) started the game going 4 2/3 innings, giving up one run on three hits and three walks, while striking out six. Jimmy Okoniewski (Wilmington, DE/St. Mark's) (0-3) took the loss going 5 2/3 innings, giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk, to go with five strikeouts.
The Wildcats took the third and final game of the weekend series as sophomore Cameron Saienni (Wilmington, DE/McKean) (1-0) picked up his first win on the year going seven solid innings, allowing a pair of runs (one earned) on five hits, while striking out five. Wilmington led 4-2 after seven innings and blew the game open scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth. Junior Eric Brown (Norwalk, CT/Norwalk) (0-1) took the loss pitching two innings out of the pen, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks. Cawley and Cotone each had an RBI in the game for the Setters.
The Setters continue their spring break road trip as they return
to action this Monday, March 17th, as Pace travels to
West Chester, PA to take on #9 West Chester University.