THE BASICS:
- Score: Pace 7, Assumption 6 (Game one); Assumption 9, Pace 6 (Game two)
- Records: Assumption (11-8, 1-2 NE10), Pace (11-7, 1-3 NE10)
- Location: Pleasantville, N.Y. (Peter X. Finnerty Field)
- The Lead: After facing a tough, ninth inning loss in game one, the Assumption Greyhounds took game two 9-6 to split a doubleheader with the Pace Setters on Sunday in New York. The Hounds lost game one 7-6.
HOW IT HAPPENED: GAME ONE
-Justin Scotto produced the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth on a ball hit up the middle. With the bases loaded, Assumption's Jared Brescia (Brentwood, N.H. / Exeter) got his glove on the ball, but his only play was to second, which allowed Michael Salmonese to score from third for the game-winning run.
-Scotto's game-winner capped off a six-run ninth inning for the Setters. Scotto initially pinch-ran and scored on a balk his first time on the base paths to bring the game within four at 6-2. Back-to-back singles for Pace then brought them within two. Mike Keinz (North Branford, Conn. / Notre Dame) came in for the Hounds and immediately forced a pop out, but Salmonese doubled down the line to tie the game at six. Patrick Harrington (Bedford, NH / Bedford High School) relieved Keinz with the bases loaded and allowed Scotto to score the winning run.
-James McNamara (Westford, Mass. / Westford Academy) left with a 6-1 lead through 7 2/3 for the Hounds. He retired 12 out of the first 13 batters he faced and didn't allow a hit until the eighth inning when Brian Bohlander sent one up the middle and into center field. Joseph Curcio knocked in Bohlander two batters later as the only run Pace would get off McNamara.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
-McNamara's start was the longest he made in his collegiate career, never pitching more than five innings in a start prior to Sunday's game. He entered the game with an 0-2 record and a 9.00 ERA in 15 innings through four starts and dropped his ERA to 6.35 with his performance.
-Manny PegueroMelo (Boston, Mass. / Xaverian) earned the loss, allowing three runs on two hits and one walk after exiting without getting an out in the ninth inning. PegueroMelo entered game one with a 2-0 record and two saves to go along with a 1.59 ERA in 11 1/3 innings.
-Eight players had at least one hit for the Hounds, while Alex Richardson (Rehoboth, Mass. / Bishop Feehan) had two along with one run. He improved his hit-streak to five games through game one.
HOW IT HAPPENED: GAME TWO
-Pace starter Greg Najar entered the day with a 0.75 ERA in three games, including two starts, but the Hounds chased him from the game after just two outs by pushing four runs across in the first inning to win 9-6 in game two.
-Richardson, Trevor McQuade (Westwood, Mass. / Xaverian) and RJ Libby (Middleton, Mass. / Bishop Fenwick) combined for six of Assumption's 12 hits on the day and combined for four runs and three doubles. McQuade doubled in Libby to give the Hounds a 2-0 lead to begin the first, while Richardson walked with the bases loaded to put the Hounds up 4-0. Richardson then doubled in a run to give his team a 6-0 lead in the third.
-Starter Mike Curtis (Wilmington, Mass. / Wilmington High School) shut down the Setters through 6 2/3 innings of work. He retired the first 10 batters he faced and didn't allow a hit until the fourth on a ball hit back up the middle. The Setters didn't get to him until the seventh when Alex Pia knocked in three runs on a double to left. A throwing error allowed Pia to take third and one run to go unearned.
-Assumption made it 9-3 in the top of the eighth on an RBI-single by Derek Adamson (Chelmsford, Mass. / Chelmsford). Pace got themselves back into the game with three runs in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a triple by Bohlander, pulling the Setters to within three at 9-6. MacGuire O'Sullivan (Durham, Conn. / Coginchaug Regional) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the save.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
-Libby led the Hounds at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs and a walk. McQuade had two hits and one run, while seven other players had one hit each. Richardson had two walks, two RBIs and one run.
-Curtis earned the win by allowing only three runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out three to improve to 2-0 on the year. Assumption starters combined for 14 1/3 innings and allowed only four runs on eight hits on the day, pitching to a combined 1.88 ERA.
-O'Sullivan earned his second collegiate career save in the win. His first came by working three innings of relief to close out a 13-4 win over Bentley on March 2. He has appeared in six games so far this season and has started one.
UP NEXT:
- The Hounds host Stonehill on Wednesday, March 27, at 3:30 p.m.
STAY CONNECTED:
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