CARY, N.C. – Pace University Baseball opened the 2026 season Friday afternoon at the USA Baseball National Training Complex, battling early before West Chester University used two middle-inning runs and a late surge to pull away in a 10–3 neutral-site decision. The Setters stayed within striking distance through four innings before a pair of extended rallies by the Golden Rams created separation. The loss moves Pace to 0–1 on the young season.
Pace threatened immediately in the top of the first.
Benjamin Tullo and
Cristian Rodriguez reached base to set up an early opportunity, and
Brayden Sweppenhiser delivered a single to load the bases. West Chester escaped the inning with a defensive stop at the plate, and
Aidan Kempf settled in on the mound, striking out eight across four innings while limiting the damage early.
West Chester struck first with a two-run third inning, using a triple and a sacrifice fly to take a 2–0 lead. Pace answered in the fourth without recording a hit, capitalizing on defensive miscues to plate
Rocco Cimino and trim the deficit to 2–1.
The Golden Rams shifted momentum in the fifth. A leadoff single and a walk ignited a three-run frame, stretching the lead to 5–1. Pace's bullpen kept the margin steady over the next inning, but West Chester added another run in the seventh to extend the advantage.
The Setters mounted a response in the seventh. Cimino singled to open the inning, and
Manny Carreras followed with a base hit to put runners on the corners. A wild pitch allowed Cimino to score, cutting the deficit to 5–2 and briefly swinging energy back toward the Blue and Gold.
Anthony Depetro provided another spark in the eighth, ripping a triple to center field that scored
Nick Carlucci and brought Pace within 6–3. However, West Chester answered decisively in the bottom half with a four-run inning, highlighted by a bases-clearing triple, to put the game out of reach at 10–3.
Depetro finished 2-for-4 with an RBI triple and a stolen base, while Tullo and Sweppenhiser each recorded two hits. Kempf (0–1) struck out eight over four innings, allowing two runs on three hits.
Pace collected nine hits in the opener but could not overcome nine walks issued and key defensive swings in the middle innings.
The Setters continue their season-opening trip in Cary, N.C., tomorrow with a doubleheader match-up against Point Park University of Pennsylvania, with first pitch of game one set for 12:00 p.m.
