DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – The Pace University baseball team took home a doubleheader sweep Saturday afternoon, defeating Mercy College by the scores of 3-1 and 13-0 in a pair of road games.

Game One – Pace 3, Mercy 1

The Setters (13-2) got out to a lead early in the game, getting a run across in the opening inning. Senior outfielder Matthew Rinaldi (Scarsdale, N.Y./Eastchester) led off the game with a triple to centerfield, then sophomore catcher Hunter Goldstein (Jericho, N.Y./Jericho) brought him in with a sacrifice fly.

Pace got another quality start from senior Patrick Gleason (Valhalla, N.Y./Valhalla), who went all seven innings and allowed one run on just three hits, while striking out seven batters. Gleason didn't allow a hit through the first five innings, keeping the Mavericks (4-15) hitters at bay throughout.

The visitors added to their lead in the top of the fifth, when with one out and nobody on, junior outfielder Luke Rivara (Lake Worth, Fla./Saint John Paul II Academy) went deep for the first home run of his career, extending the Pace lead to 2-0.

However, Mercy was able to break through against Gleason in the sixth, cutting the lead back to one. After a single and an error, a two-out single by Nolan Giblin brought in the first run of the day for the home team.

Pace was able to get the run back in the top half of the seventh, as freshman second baseman Benjamin Tullo (Wappinger Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham Senior) and Rinaldi connected on back-to-back two-out doubles, giving the Setters a two-run lead once again.

Gleason came back on for the seventh, allowing a hit but keeping the Mavericks off the scoreboard to preserve the 3-1 victory.

Rinaldi and Tullo each had two hits in game one, with Rinaldi, Goldstein and Rivara each driving in a run. Gleason earned the win, pitching his first complete game of the year.

Game Two – Pace 13, Mercy 0

The Setters had a huge day offensively in game two, starting in the second inning. With runners on second and third with one out, Tullo singled in a run, and three straight walks forced in two more as Pace took a 3-0 lead after two.

Sophomore Vincent Civitella (Clifton, N.J./Clifton) got the ball in game two and was equally impressive as Gleason in game one. Civitella went six innings, allowing no runs on five hits, issued no walks and struck out three.

With the score still 3-0 in the fifth, grad student outfielder Mitchell McCabe (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford/ Bridgton Academy) blasted a two-run homer to left, extending the lead to five.

Then with two on and two out, Tullo came to the plate and had the same result, putting three more runs on the board with one swing of the bat, homering to left and giving Pace an 8-0 lead following the five-run inning.

With Civitella continuing to roll, the Setters were able to tack on even more in the seventh. Tullo got things started with an RBI single, and a pair of bases-loaded walks put two more runs on the board. With two out, sophomore shortstop Mason Baronian (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley) singled to right, driving in a pair and giving the Setters a 13-0 lead. 

Tullo led the way for Pace, going 3-for-4 with one home run and five RBI. McCabe had one home run and three RBI, while Baronian drove in two. Civitella got the win on the mound in his six innings of work.

The Setters and Mavericks finish off their four-game series Sunday, March 19, when Pace hosts a 1 p.m. matchup at Peter X. Finnerty field.