PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University baseball team continued its impressive start to the 2023 season, as the Setters improved to 6-1 with a 14-8 victory over Dominican University Wednesday afternoon.

It was a strong start to the day for grad student pitcher Michael Roll (Ramsey, N.J./Bergen Catholic High School), who set the Chargers (1-10) down in order to start the day. With two out and nobody on in the bottom of the first, the Setters (6-1) went to work offensively. After grad student outfielder Luke Jacobi (Edison, N.J./JP Stevens) was hit by a pitch, grad student outfielder Mitchell McCabe (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford/ Bridgton Academy) brought him in with an RBI double to left. After a walk followed by a balk from the Dominican pitcher, grad student catcher Nate Carminucci (Somers, N.Y./North Salem High School) drove in two with an RBI single to right center, making it a 3-0 Pace lead after one.

With one out and runners on first and second in the top of the second, Joseph Coppola made it a one-run game with one swing, driving a two-run double to left center to make it 3-2. With two runners on, Roll was able to work out of trouble, getting a ground ball for a double play to end the inning.

Junior outfielder Luke Rivara (Lake Worth, Fla./Saint John Paul II Academy) got Pace started in the second with a leadoff triple to deep centerfield. Freshman infielder Benjamin Tullo (Wappinger Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham Senior) then brought him in with a sacrifice fly to make it a two-run game. A stole base by senior outfielder Matthew Rinaldi (Scarsdale, N.Y./Eastchester) put him in scoring position following a walk, but he was left stranded as the Setters took a 4-2 lead to the third.

Dominican came back again in the third. With runners on the corners with two out, a double down the left field line by Stefano Libio made it 4-3, then Alexander Reyes singled up the middle to bring home two more and make it a 5-4 lead for the visitors.

The Setters exploded for four runs in the third, getting runners to the corners with two out. Rivara then doubled to center, scoring Carminucci. Tullo brought in two with a single to center to put Pace ahead. After Tullo stole second, Rinaldi singled him in to make it an 8-5 game.

The Chargers got two back in the top of the fourth, starting off with a walk and a single. With one out, Tyler Richman singled to center to bring in two batters and make it a one-run game once again. Neither team could do anything in their next turn at bat, bringing it to the bottom of the fifth with the score still 8-7. With one out in the home half, Tullo stepped to the plate and crushed one over the left field fence for his first collegiate home run, making the score 9-7 in favor of Pace.

Working in his second inning of relief, junior pitcher Dan Brown (East Northport, N.Y./John Glenn) set the Chargers down in order in the sixth. An error and a pair of walks put the loaded the bases with nobody out for the Setters in their turn at bat. A sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Hunter Goldstein (Jericho, N.Y./Jericho) added a run to make it 10-7, followed by an RBI single from junior shortstop Anthony Labita (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) to make it a four-run advantage for Pace. With runners on the corners, an error by Dominican's catcher on a stolen base attempt allowed Carminucci to come home with the 12^th Pace run of the day, extending the lead to five.

Brown retired the first two batters in the seventh and looked to be rolling, but a walk and single put two men on with two out. He worked through it and completed his third scoreless inning, getting a flyout to work out of trouble.

The Setters started the seventh with two out and nobody on, but Carminucci singled, followed by a hit from McCabe. McCabe got caught in a rundown, but an error allowed him to slide in safely to second. Meanwhile, Carminucci came around to score to make it 13-7.

With one out and one on in the eighth, back-to-back singles got the eighth run of the day across for Dominican, with Tyler Richman driving in the run to narrow the Pace lead to 13-8.

In the last of the eighth, with one out and nobody on, Labita came to the plate and drove a solo shot over the right-centerfield fence, his first of the year, to add another run for Pace.

Brown finished things off in the ninth to close out the victory, as Pace improved to 6-1 on the year with a 14-8 win.

The Setters had five players record multiple hits on the day, with Tullo driving in four runs and scoring twice. Goldstein had three RBI and scored once, while Labita drove in two and scored a run.

Grad student Nelson Arroyo (Washingtonville, N.Y./John S. Burke Catholic) got the win on the mound for the Setters, while Brown picked up the save.

Up Next
Pace and Dominican are back at it tomorrow afternoon, as they have a 3 p.m. afternoon matchup at Peter X. Finnerty field.