WORCESTER, Mass. – The Pace University baseball team split the second day of its back-to-back doubleheaders with Assumption University. The Greyhounds took a 3-0 victory in game one, while the Setters came back with a 6-4 win in game two.

Game One: Assumption 3, Pace 0

It was a pitchers' duel in the early going, as freshman Brendan McCann (Plainview, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) and Assumption's (11-24, 4-8 NE10) Griffin O'Connor both had strong starts on the hill.

The Setters (24-8, 4-4 NE10) got a pair of two-out baserunners in the first but couldn't bring them home to take the lead. Pace had another chance in the top of the third after junior third baseman Anthony Labita (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) tripled down the right field line, but the visitors again came up empty.

McCann ran into some trouble in the bottom of the third, as a single and two walks loaded the bases. But he came back with a strikeout to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.

Assumption finally broke through in the fourth, getting two runs on the board. After a leadoff triple, Jack Barry had an RBI double to score the first run of the day. Kevin Cox followed up with run-scoring double of his own, giving the Greyhounds a 2-0 lead.

The home team added another run in the fifth, picking up a bases-loaded walk to force in a run and go ahead by three.

O'Connor then shut the door, not allowing a hit over the final four innings, and finishing off a complete game as the Greyhounds took game one by a final of 3-0.

Game Two: Pace 6, Assumption 4

Assumption took the early lead in game two, getting a two-run homer from Jared Berardino in the bottom of the first to grab a 2-0 lead.

The Setters got two runners on in the second but again couldn't bring them in. The Greyhounds threatened in the bottom of the inning, but senior pitcher Christian Aich (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) worked out of it. After the home team loaded the bases with one out, Aich came back with a strikeout and groundout to keep it a two-run game.

Pace's offense broke through at last in the third. Freshman second baseman Benjamin Tullo (Wappinger Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham Senior) led the inning off with a double, followed by a single from Labita to put runners on the corners. A sacrifice fly by grad student outfielder Mitchell McCabe (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford/ Bridgton Academy) got the Setters on the board to make it 2-1, then after a single and walk loaded the bases, sophomore shortstop Mason Baronian (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley) brought in a pair with a two-out, two-run single to give Pace a 3-2 lead.

After starting the top of the fourth with two out and nobody on, the Setters were able to add another run. Two walks and a single from Labita again loaded the bases, and a Greyhounds error brought in the fourth run of the day for the visitors.

Assumption got one back in the bottom of the fifth, as Barry picked up a sac fly following a leadoff triple to make it a one-run game at 4-3. However, the Setters came right back with two more in the top of the sixth to widen their lead to three. With two out and runners on first and second, grad student outfielder Luke Jacobi (Edison, N.J./JP Stevens) and sophomore catcher Hunter Goldstein (Jericho, N.Y./Jericho) connected on back-to-back RBI singles, driving in one run apiece as Pace went ahead 6-3.

Kevin Cox led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run, cutting the lead to two. The Setters had a chance to get it back in the seventh, putting runners on second and third with one out. However, a strikeout and groundout ended the inning as Pace left two stranded and took a 6-4 lead to the bottom of the seventh.

Senior pitcher Marco Siracusa (Kinnelon, N.J./Bergen Catholic) then put on the finishing touches, getting a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh as the Setters took a 6-4 win to split the doubleheader.

In game two, Labita and Jacobi both had two hits, while Baronian had two RBI.

Up Next

The Setters are back at home Tuesday, April 18, when they host Molloy University at 3 p.m.