PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University baseball team split a pair in its NE10 opener Friday afternoon, defeating No. 22 ranked University of New Haven 6-2 in game one, then falling 6-3 in the latter game.
Game One: Pace 6, New Haven 2
An error got the Chargers (16-5, 4-2 NE10) their first baserunner, and an RBI groundout brought in the first run of the afternoon in the top of the first.
New Haven had an error of their own to get the Setters (17-3, 1-1 NE10) going in the bottom half, and a bunt moved the runner into scoring position. With two out, grad student outfielder
Mitchell McCabe (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford/ Bridgton Academy) tied the game with an RBI single to center, knotting the score at 1-1.
A one-out double had the visitors threatening to take the lead once again in the second, but senior pitcher
Patrick Gleason (Valhalla, N.Y./Valhalla) got a strikeout and groundout to end the inning with the game still tied.
A single and error put two runners on with one out for Pace in the home half, and freshman second baseman
Benjamin Tullo (Wappinger Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham Senior) gave the Setters the lead with an RBI single. A single loaded the bases, giving Pace a chance to add to their lead, but the Chargers were able to turn a double play to get out of the inning trailing by just one.
With two out and a runner on second, an error brought in the second New Haven run, tying the game at two. The Setters didn't get a run across in their turn at bat, bringing the game to the fourth still tied.
Neither team scored in their next turn at bat, and Gleason worked around a leadoff walk in the fifth to turn New Haven aside. In the bottom of the fifth, senior outfielder
Matthew Rinaldi (Scarsdale, N.Y./Eastchester) led the inning off with a single, and McCabe brought him in with a two-run homer down the left field line to give the Setters a 4-2 lead after five.
Gleason stranded one runner in the seventh, holding the two-run lead for the Setters. After Pace went down 1-2-3, Pace's starter had his first perfect inning of the day to turn the Chargers aside in the eighth.
A walk and single got Pace started in the eighth, and an RBI single from junior third baseman
Anthony Labita (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) extended the lead to three. Tullo then reached on a fielder's choice, scoring sophomore shortstop
Mason Baronian (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley). Gleason set the visitors down in order once again in the ninth, finishing it off for a 6-2 Pace victory.
On the day, McCabe had two hits, one home run and three RBI. Tullo had two hits and two RBI, while Labita had two hits and one run driven in. Gleason went the distance, allowing no earned runs on two hits and six strikeouts.
Game Two: New Haven 6, Pace 3
A pair of walks and a hit loaded the bases in the top of the first for the Chargers, but senior pitcher
Christian Aich (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) got a flyout to end the inning and keep New Haven off the board.
The visitors jumped in front in the second inning, however, scoring twice to take the early lead. With two out and two on, Tyler Wells singled to right, scoring a run. A second run then came in on an error, putting New Haven up 2-0 after two innings.
Neither team was able to get their offense going in the third, but the Chargers scored three times in the fourth to add to their lead. A triple down the right field line and a wild pitch brought in the third New Haven run, and a one-out single by Andrew Cain made it a four-run lead. With runners on second and third with one out, Owen Pincince had a sacrifice fly to center to make it 5-0.
The Setters went down in order in the fourth, still looking for their first hit as the Chargers held their five-run lead.
With two out and nobody on, New Haven picked up back-to-back hits, a double followed by an RBI single, to extend the lead to six.
Pace looked to get the bats going in the home half of the fifth, but New Haven's Thomas Eletto continued to roll, setting the home team down in order once again.
A pair of hits had the visitors in position to add to the lead even further, but a strikeout with runners on second and third got Pace out of the inning still trailing by six.
The Setters got their first hit of the day in the bottom of the sixth, as Baronian launched a home run over the left field wall to get Pace on the board. However, they couldn't add to it, sending the game to the seventh with New Haven leading 6-1.
After the Chargers went down in order, two walks and an error loaded the bases for Pace in the seventh, as the Setters looked to rally in the final inning. Grad student outfielder then got a run in on a sac fly, bringing the score to 6-2.
With two out and two on, Labita singled to left, bringing in a run and getting the tying run to the plate. Baronian then singled through the left side, loading the bases with Pace down by three and down to its final out.
However, Drew Silverman came on in relief and recorded the last out, preserving a 6-3 win for the Chargers as each team took one game on the day.
Up Next
Pace and New Haven play their second doubleheader of the weekend on Sunday, April 2, with game one scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
