CARY, N.C. – The Pace University baseball team failed to mount a comeback against Wilmington University (Del.) in a 2-4 nine-inning affair. The Blue and Gold fall to 0-3 to start the 2024 season.
Pace jumped out to a one-run lead in the bottom of the first inning behind an RBI ground out from Mason Baronian. On the mound, the Setters rode a productive outing from Vincent Civitella as the junior supplied six innings of scoreless baseball striking out six.
Pace ran into trouble in the top half of the seventh inning after a walk and a single put the Wildcats in position to strike. Following a sacrifice bunt that advanced both runners, Kory Pritchard knocked a single past second base to bring home the first run of the contest for Wilmington. After a steal for the Wildcats, another single from Garrett Quinn brought two more runs across the plate to give Wilmington a 3-1 advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh.
The Wildcats tacked on one more run in the top of the eighth off a lead-off home run from Zach Walker giving them a 4-2 lead. Moving into the bottom of the eighth, the Setters trailed by two runs and were in need of a rally.
Hunter Goldstein kicked off the inning with a single up the middle to put the pressure on Wilmington. Matthew Franco stepped up to the plate next and delivered an RBI double in the gap to trim the deficit to two runs, 2-4. The rally ended with the next batter, but Pace was within striking distance with one inning left in the game.
The Setters allowed the lead off batter to reach base in the top of the ninth but would retire the next three batters to hold the deficit at two runs moving into the final half inning. The Blue and Gold failed to get a runner on base in the ninth as Wilmington's Alex Krick came in and shut the door on Pace by a final score of, 2-4.
On the offensive end, the Setters were led by the four-and five-hole hitters. Franco and Baronian each tallied an RBI in the contest while Franco added two hits.
Wilmington was highlighted by a two-hit performance from Pritchard and an impressive showing on the mound from starting pitcher Matthew Warrington. Warrington tossed six innings for the Wildcats allowing only one run on four hits while striking out seven batters.
Baseball returns to action tomorrow for their final game in Cary, N.C. as the Blue and Gold will take on Dominican University of New York with the first pitch at 12:30 p.m.
