PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Pace University Baseball opened Northeast 10 (NE10) Conference play on Saturday afternoon at Peter X. Finnerty Field, splitting a doubleheader with Saint Michael's College. The Setters took the opener 7–4 before the Purple Knights rallied late to claim the second game 9–8. Pace moves to 5–6 overall and 1–1 in the Northeast 10 Conference.
Game One
Saint Michael's struck first in the second inning, but Pace quickly responded in the bottom half.
Anthony Depetro reached base and advanced into scoring position before
Nick Carlucci delivered a single to put runners on the corners.
Benjamin Tullo followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game, and
Manny Carreras added an RBI single to give the Setters a 2–1 lead.
The Blue and Gold extended the advantage in the third inning when
Rocco Cimino tripled to center field and later scored on a sacrifice fly from
Justin Crispino, pushing the lead to 3–1.
Saint Michael's tied the contest at 3–3 through the sixth inning, but Pace regained the lead when
Taison Jemison singled to score Carlucci and make it 4–3.
The Setters broke the game open in the eighth inning with a three-run rally. Tullo drove in a run with a single before Carreras followed with an RBI base hit. Moments later, Cimino delivered an RBI double to extend the lead to 7–3.
On the mound,
Cristian Rodriguez earned the save with three innings of relief, allowing one run while striking out four.
Aidan Kempf started the contest and worked six innings with three strikeouts to post his second victory of 2026.
Game Two (7 innings)
Pace jumped out to a quick start in the second game, scoring twice in the opening inning.
Rocco Cimino doubled and later came around to score on an RBI single from
Brayden Sweppenhiser, while
Taison Jemison added another RBI hit to give the Setters a 2–0 lead.
After adding another run in the second inning, the Blue and Gold held a 3–0 advantage before Saint Michael's answered with a three-run third inning to even the game. The Purple Knights continued to apply pressure, scoring twice in the fourth and twice more in the fifth to move ahead 7–4.
Pace rallied in the fifth inning to regain the lead.
Brayden Sweppenhiser tripled to start the frame before
Manny Carreras delivered an RBI single. Later in the inning,
Nick Carlucci ripped a three-run double down the left-field line to give the Setters an 8–7 advantage.
Saint Michael's answered in the seventh inning with a two-run home run to retake the lead, and Pace was unable to mount another rally in the final frame.
Carlucci finished with two hits and three RBIs, while Sweppenhiser added two hits and a run scored in the contest.
Baseball returns to Peter X. Finnerty Field on Sunday, hosting Saint Michael's College for the series finale beginning at 12:00 p.m. The afternoon will also feature the 2025 Northeast 10 Conference Championship ring ceremony honoring the Setters title-winning season.
