PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – With a five-run sixth inning in game two, the Pace University baseball team rallied from behind to complete their in-conference sweep over Southern New Hampshire University. The Setters captured game one 7-3, and game two 5-4, improving to 22-12 overall and 12-7 in the Northeast-10.
Game One
Against the top-ranked Penmen of the NE10 Northeast division, the Setters kick started the offense early, scoring the opening run with a Matthew Franco home run to left field. The second-inning long ball marked Franco's second of the season and it provided the initial spark that led to a productive day at the plate for Pace.
In the third inning, the Setters continued to pour on runs against Southern New Hampshire. Three runs crossed the plate in the inning after Mason Baronian, Hunter Goldstein, and Brayden Sweppenhiser all accounted for a run batted in. After adding two more in the next inning, Pace held a 6-0 advantage moving into the fifth.
Vincent Civitella took the mound for the Blue and Gold and churned out one of his finest outings of the season. Civitella carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning before allowing the first base knock of the contest off a single up the middle. The junior tossed 5.1 innings before his pitch count forced him out of the game after he allowed just one earned run on one hit while striking out six batters.
In the bottom half of the fifth inning, the Setters posted their final run of the game after an RBI double seared off the bat of Matthew Rinaldi. In the final innings, the Penmen creeped up on the Setters lead but could not manage enough runs and Pace wrapped up game one, 7-3.
Game Two (7 innings)
The second game of the day presented a different story for the Setters with a similar result. Austin Trumpour displayed his talent on the mound for the Penmen as he carved through Pace's lineup throughout the majority of the contest.
Southern New Hampshire brought home four runs through five innings to take a 4-0 advantage into the sixth. Trumpour tossed five shutout innings surrendering one hit as he strung together four straight one-two-three innings. However, Pace finally managed to figure out the puzzle at the plate in the sixth.
Following back-to-back outs to begin the inning, the Setters broke through for one of their most stunning rallies of the season. Rinaldi struck a two-out single past second base to jump start the comeback. After Goldstein pounded a single through the left side, Anthony Labita delivered the first runs of the game for Pace with a double to right center. Now trailing 2-4 the Setters drove in another run off a George Provel double in the left-center gap.
Down one run with a runner on second, Baronian finished off the rally by launching a first-pitch home run to lift the Setters over the Penmen 5-4. The junior shortstop's first home run of the season could not have come at a better moment as he pushed Pace ahead by one run heading into the final inning.
With the five-run sixth inning, the Blue and Gold mounted an improbable comeback to sweep Southern New Hampshire in Saturday's doubleheader. Marco Siracusa came out of the bullpen in the seventh to earn his second save of the year while Cristian Rodriguez tallied his third win.
In one of the more intriguing match-ups of the 2024 season, the Setters tallied six hits with five of them coming in the sixth inning. Baronian (1-for-3, 2 RBIs, 1 HR), and Labita (1-for-3, 2 RBIs) lead the comeback for Pace. Rinaldi (1-for-3), Goldstein (2-for-3), and Provel (1-for-3) all scored a run in game two.
Up Next
Next in store for the Blue and Gold is a Sunday doubleheader tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. as they match up against Saint Anselm College.
