PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – In another close match-up with the College of Saint Rose, the Pace University baseball team prevailed, 8-5, in front of their home crowd. With the win the Setters move on to the second round of the Northeast-10 Championship as they continue their quest for back-to-back NE10 titles.
After the Golden Knights opened the scoring in the top of the first the Setters answered by tallying one run in each of the next three innings. Anthony Labita kickstarted Pace's offense with a long home run to right field in the first, and after three innings the Setters led 3-1.
Saint Rose would not go away as they brought the game back to even with two runs in the top of the fifth. In the inning, the Setters brought 2023 Northeast pitcher of the Year Patrick Gleason out of the bullpen for his first appearance of the year in relief. Gleason managed to escape the pressure of Saint Rose leaving the game tied 3-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
The Blue and Gold swiped the lead back in the bottom of the inning behind a Mason Baronian sacrifice fly. One more run came across the plate and the Setters took a 5-3 advantage into the sixth.
The lead did not last long as once again the Golden Knights tied the game at five in the top half of the sixth off two unearned runs. Saint Rose kept their foot on the gas pedal in the back-and-forth affair but in the final innings, the Setters took control.
Baronian struck again for Pace with a single up the middle to give Pace a one-run lead, 6-5. Gleason continued to cruise through Saint Rose's lineup as he strung together two straight 1-2-3 innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Setters put away the Golden Knights after driving in two runs to extend their lead to 8-5. A Matthew Franco double and a Baronian single accounted for Pace's final runs of the contest. The Setters rode their momentum into the final half-inning of the game.
Gleason stepped on the mound in the ninth and closed the door on Saint Rose. He retired the side in order for the third straight inning, as Pace came away with an 8-5 win to help push them ahead to the next round of the Northeast-10 Championship.
Baronian churned out one of his finest performances of the year as he went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and one run scored. Labita produced three runs scored in his 1-for-2 (2 walks) performance. Dylan Koch and Franco added two hits and two runs each.
Although he did not draw the start on the mound, Gleason took command of the contest for the Setters. The Valhalla, N.Y. native earned the win, tossing 4.2 innings, allowing no earned runs, and one hit.
The Blue and Gold are back in action Thursday afternoon as they battle the No. 2 seeded Ravens of Franklin Pierce University.
