Skyhawks held hitless until the fifth inning

Senior Michael Magnussen went 1-for-3 at the plate for Stonehill.

WINTER PARK, Fla. (March 17, 2012) – Stonehill College, ranked seventh overall in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) East Regional Poll, dropped its final contest in its spring break trip to Florida falling to Pace University, 6-1, in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon at Alfond Stadium on the campus of Rollins College.

Sophomore left-handed pitcher Jonathan Silva (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) bumped up his record to 2-1 overall on the season throwing five innings, yielding two hits, one run (earned), one walk and five strikeouts. Silva's perfect game bid was broken up in the fifth inning when sophomore second baseman Dan Fratus (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North) singled up the middle with one out. Silva also issued his only walk in that frame while sophomore right fielder Billy Karalis (Pawtucket, R.I./Bishop Feehan) scored the Skyhawks only run on a balk from Silva with the bases loaded.

Junior Neil Pezzullo (Harwich, Mass./Harwich) pitched two scoreless and hitless innings with a pair of strikeouts while sophomore Brian Sundberg (Westbury, N.Y./WT Clarke) closed out the final two innings issuing just one free pass.

For Stonehill, senior pitcher Eric Haughn (Pembroke, Mass./Pembroke) was handed the loss on four innings pitched, eight hits, four runs (three earned), one walk and four strikeouts. Classmate Matt Olsen (Winchester, Mass./Winchester) fanned one batter, issued one walk and did not allow a hit or run in one-and-two-thirds innings of relief.

Pace took a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first inning on a RBI single through the left side of the infield from junior third baseman Brandon Martineson (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick). The Setters added two more runs in the second inning as right fielder Chris Roemer (Ardsley, N.Y./Ardsley) notched a run-producing infield single and senior second baseman Kyle Turnier (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) lifted a sacrifice fly to left field. Pace also added one run apiece in the fourth, fifth and ninth innings, respectively.

Senior left fielder Michael Magnussen (Carver, Mass./Coyle & Cassidy) picked up Stonehill's only other hit of the contest. Turnier finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate with one run batted in and sophomore designated hitter James Pjura (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) was 2-for-2 with one RBI.

Stonehill (11-6, 0-0 NE-10, 0-0 Northeast Division) travels to Bentley University on Wednesday, March 21 for a 3:30 scheduled start. Pace (7-6, 0-0 NE-10, 0-0 Southwest Division) returns to action on Tuesday, March 20 against the University of Bridgeport in non-conference action in Bridgeport, Conn. at Harbor Yard, home of the Bridgeport Bluefish, at 3 p.m.