PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – It was a Sunday sweep for the Pace University baseball team as the Setters were victorious in both games against Saint Michael's College. The Blue and Gold took game one 13-2 and game two, 2-0, improving to 11-7 overall, and 5-2 in the Northeast-10.
Game One
In the first game of Sunday's doubleheader, the Setters matched their highest run total of the season scoring 13 runs. After scoring on a wild pitch in the first inning, Pace never looked back and led the entire game.
Pace tallied four runs in the third, and three in the fifth to extend their lead to 8-0 over Saint Michael's. In the next two innings, the Setters continued to pour on runs in an impressive offensive showing at home.
Matthew Rinaldi's second home run of 2024 pushed the Setters lead to 13-0 in the seventh. The three-run long ball marked Rinaldi's third hit of the game helping Pace secure the 13-2 win.
Rinaldi went 3-for-5 in game one with three RBIs. Mason Baronian had a 3-for-5 day with two RBIs while Hunter Goldstein and Josh Miller also produced two RBIs. As a team, Pace contributed 14 hits in the contest with three extra-base knocks.
Vincent Civitella started on the hill for Pace and cruised through the Saint Michael's lineup earning the win, allowing five hits and no runs in six innings while striking out five batters. Sean Costello earned the save by tossing three innings in relief.
Game Two (7 innings)
In game two, Pace dominated Saint Michael's again but this time in a much different way. The Blue and Gold shut out the Purple Knight's allowing only three hits. Pace produced two runs in game two, but it was all the Setters needed in the match-up.
Anthony Labita became the newest member of the 100-hit club for Pace University with his single in the first inning. After the first, the Setters' offense broke through with the first run of the game after a Benjamin Tullo RBI base knock.
Brendan McCann shut down the Saint Michael's offense on the mound allowing just one batter to reach base in the first four innings. After a lead-off triple from Rinaldi to begin the bottom of the fifth the Setters were 90 feet away from extending their lead. The next batter, Brayden Sweppenhiser delivered, driving in Rinaldi on a sacrifice fly to center field. With the 2-0 advantage the Setters needed to close out the game on the mound the final two innings.
McCann continued his strong day on the bump, retiring the side in order in the sixth and then forcing a double play to end the game in the seventh. Pace captured game two by a final score of 2-0 to claim their 11th win of the season and fifth within the Northeast-10.
The Setters were highlighted by the exceptional outing from McCann. The sophomore earned his second win of 2024 pitching a complete game shutout with three hits while striking out five hitters. The Pace pitching staff continues to dazzle on the diamond as they are currently ranked second in the country for team earned run average with an impressive 2.97 ERA.
Tullo and Sweppenhiser each recorded an RBI in game two while Rinaldi added two hits and a run scored.
Up Next
Next on the schedule for the Blue and Gold is an out-of-conference match-up against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Tuesday afternoon with the first pitch set for 3:30 p.m.
