PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University baseball team picked up a pair of victories of claim their fourth and fifth wins of the 2023 season. The Setters defeated Jefferson University 9-2 in the early game, then topped the Rams 4-1 in the late afternoon matchup.

After the Rams (3-5) went down quickly to start the game, the Setters (5-1) took the lead in the bottom of the first. Senior outfielder Matt Rinaldi got things started with a leadoff double, then after moving over to third, came in to score on an RBI groundout by grad student outfielder Luke Jacobi (Edison, N.J./JP Stevens).

Jefferson got the first two hitters on in the second, but senior pitcher Christian Aich (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) was able to work out of trouble, setting down the next three batters to keep the visitors off the scoreboard. Pace put up two more runs in the home half, as with two outs and runners on second and third, Rinaldi brought both runners in with a two-run double to left to make it a 3-0 game.

A leadoff double had the Rams in shape to get on the board in the third, but after a strikeout, the Setters caught the baserunner in a rundown for the second out. A single and a walk followed, but Aich got a strikeout to end the inning. A walk and back-to-back steals by grad student outfielder Mitchell McCabe (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford/ Bridgton Academy) got Pace going in their turn at bat, and grad student catcher Nate Carminucci (Somers, N.Y./North Salem High School) brought him in with an RBI single to right, extending the Pace lead to 4-0.

A pair of walks had the Setters in business once again in the fourth, and a hit batter loaded the bases with nobody out. With the bases still loaded with one out, Carminucci singled to left to bring in a run, and a walk forced in another to make it 6-0.

A hit and two walks again loaded the bases in the fifth, and another bases loaded walk made it a 7-0 lead. Carminucci then continued his strong afternoon, driving a single through the right side to score two more. A double play ended the inning, as the Setters took a nine-run advantage to the sixth inning.

Two batters got on in the top of the sixth, but senior Pitcher Marco Siracusa (Kinnelon, N.J./Bergen Catholic) struck out three to keep it a 9-0 score. A walk and double started off the sixth for Pace, and a walk put three runners on with two outs. A strikeout ended things as the Setters left the bases loaded.

Jefferson's Griffin Wittenberg hit a two-run homer in the top of the seventh to end the shutout bid, but Siracusa set down the Rams the rest of the way to finish off game one with a 9-2 Setters victory.

Carminucci had three hits and four RBI on the day, and Rinaldi went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored. Labita had two hits and scored a run, while McCabe, Jacobi and sophomore catcher Hunter Goldstein (Jericho, N.Y./Jericho) all had one RBI.

Aich got the win on the mound, going four innings and allowing no runs on four hits with, striking out four.

 
Freshman Tyler Rodriguez (Highland Mills, N.Y./Cornwall Central) was on the mound for the Setters in game two, and got off to a strong start, not allowing a hit in the first. Pace again jumped out to an early lead, as Jacobi singled to start the day and advanced to third with one out. An RBI groundout by McCabe brought him in, putting the Setters ahead by one.

The Rams got a runner on first with one out in the second, but Rodriguez got a ground ball and Pace was able to turn a double play to get out of the inning. After the Setters couldn't add to their lead, Jefferson tied it up in the top of the third. Diego Santiago led off the inning and crushed one over the left centerfield wall to make it a 1-1 game. When Pace came to bat, a walk was followed by a single from sophomore outfielder Josh Miller (Clifton, N.J./Clifton), who had two hits on the day, as Pace got the first two runners on in the home half. With one out and runners on the corners, a sacrifice fly from Carminucci gave the home team a 2-1 lead.

The Rams got a runner to third with one out, but freshman pitcher Robert Gilchrist (New Milford, Conn./North Salem) was able to work around trouble and hold the one run lead for the Setters. Pace had two out and nobody on in the fourth, but a walk and stolen base by junior outfielder Luke Rivara (Lake Worth, Fla./Saint John Paul II Academy) was followed by an RBI single from freshman infielder Robbie Caffrey (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey). Jacobi then stepped to the plate and blasted a run-scoring double to deep centerfield, giving Pace a three-run lead going to the fifth.

Jefferson went down in order in the top of the fifth, thanks in part to a diving catch in centerfield by Miller to rob a Rams batter of an extra base hit. Both teams went down in order in their next turns at bat, and although Pace got a runner in scoring position in the sixth, he was left stranded as the Setters took their 4-1 lead to the seventh.

Gilchrist put the Rams down in order in the seventh, preserving the 4-1 win for Pace, who took three of four from Jefferson over the weekend.

Miller and Jacobi each had two hits in game two, and Jacobi, McCabe, Carminucci and Caffrey each had one RBI.

Gilchrist got the win on the mound for Pace, going four innings in relief, allowing no runs, three hits and three strikeouts.
 

Up Next
The Setters continue their homestand Tuesday, March 7 with a 3 p.m. matchup against Dominican University.