Lucier tallies his first double of his career to win second game of the day
Vargas recorded the only RBI for the Skyhawks in the first game, and pitched 2.0 innings allowing two hits and striking out two in game two |
PLEASANTVILLE, New York (March 17, 2019) – The Stonehill College baseball team (9-11), who is ranked No. 10 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II East Region Poll split with Pace University (9-2), who is ranked No. 8 in the East Region Saturday with scores of 4-1 and 5-4 in 10 innings in favor of the Skyhawks, in non-conference play.
Game 1: Stonehill 1 – Pace 4
Pace saw two batter go 2-for-3 at the plate each tallying an RBI, including Michael Salmonese and Michael Barbato. Matt Bass and Luke Jacobi recorded the other two RBI for the Setters, while Thomas Ippolito notched his third win of the season on the mound tossing 7.0 innings allowing only three hits and striking out four.
For the Skyhawks, Jeremiah Vargas tallied Stonehill's lone RBI on a sacrifice line drive in the second inning driving in Aidan Wilde. William Kelleher, Rob Duarte, and Patrick Downey each notched one hit in the Skyhawks three-hit game.
Pace jumped on board with two runs in the bottom of the first inning with no outs as Bass tripled to left center with Salmonese on base for the first RBI, while Jacobi grounded out to shortstop bringing home Bass for the second run, 2-0.
The Setters were able to keep the lead throughout the rest of the game after the Skyhawks cut the deficit to one, 2-1. Pace added on one run in each of the third and fourth innings to expand their lead to three, 4-1, as Stonehill recorded one hit in each of the remaining innings but were unable to see a lead in the first game of the doubleheader.
Game 2: Stonehill 5 – Pace 4 (10 innings)
Stonehill outhit Pace in the second game 14-7, as five Skyhawks tallied multiple hits including Harrison Sabo who went 3-for-5 with one run scored, one double, one triple, and one RBI. Wilde went 2-for-2 with two runs scored with a sacrifice bunt, as Downey, Thomas Quinn, and Noah Lucier went 2-for-5. Downey and Quinn notched doubles, while Lucier registered his first-career RBI with his first-career double and the game-winning hit. Freshman Matt Smith pitched the final inning of the game for the victory, while Vargas and Michael White combined for six strikeouts.
The Skyhawks opened the game with three runs in the top of the first, as Sabo tripled to bring in the first run and he scored on a wild pitch. With two outs, Downey doubled down the left field line moving over Wilde to third. He then scored on a balk, 3-0.
In the bottom of the frame, Jacobi singled to right field with one out and a runner on third to cut the deficit to two, 3-1. Pace then fought back in the bottom of the second with two runs off of two hits and two errors for a tied ball game, 3-3.
Smith earned his first win on the mound after keeping the Setters off the bases in the bottom of the 10th in game two |
Stonehill picked up its fourth run in the top of the fifth as Quinn doubled to right center bringing home Wilde for its second lead of the game, 4-3. Pace tied the game for the second time in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly to right field from N Clement, 4-4.
The Skyhawks threatened with two runners in the top of the seventh, but the Setters held up the runners at first and second, and White retired the inning with three-straight outs to send the game into extra innings. Stonehill totaled two runners left on base in the eighth and ninth innings, as Pace combined for five. Neither teams' offense was able to bring in a run, as the game headed into the 10th inning.
Quinn led off the top of the frame with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Lucier then followed up with a double and attempted to stretch it into a triple but was out advancing, giving Quinn time to score, 5-4. Smith came in to pitch in the bottom of the 10th and the Skyhawks ended the inning with a fly out double play breaking their three-game losing streak.
Stonehill will open Northeast-10 Conference play with a Friday, March 22 doubleheader against Le Moyne College at Dick Rockwell Field in Syracuse, New York with a first pitch slated for noon.
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