Pleasantville, N.Y. - The opening weekend of conference play for the Adelphi University baseball team came to a close Sunday with a nailbiting 3-2 defeat in its series finale against Pace University at Peter X. Finnerty Field.

Both starters gave their respective teams length, with Adelphi's Steven Proko and Pace's Vincent Civitella tossing six and seven innings, respectively.

Graduate catcher Jose Matos continued to build off yesterday's 3-for-4 outing, crushing a lead-off game-tying solo home run to left that tied the score at 1-1.

The Panthers (7-8, 1-2 NE10) twice doubled off the Setters (8-5, 2-1 NE10) on the basepaths, but a costly error on defense in the fifth was what made the difference.

After being a strike away from escaping a bases-loaded jam with none out, Albert Ramos' errant throw to first on a slow roller plated the eventual winning runs for Pace.

Adelphi loaded the bases in its half of the seventh and cut the deficit in half after a wild pitch scored Joe Pellegrino from third.

The Brown and Gold threatened again in the ninth. A one-out triple by Philip D'Aguanno put the tying run ninety feet away, yet Greyson Pizzonia and Alex Rende each struck out swinging to end the game.

Proko's six strong innings was followed by Coleton Reitan's two shutout innings in relief with four strikeouts.

Head Coach Bill Ianniciello and the Panthers will get back on the road tomorrow (Mar. 18) with a 3 p.m. start at University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, Conn.