PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – On Wednesday, Pace University Baseball used a strong start at the plate and a dominant pitching effort to defeat Saint Thomas Aquinas College (STAC), 9–1, at Peter X. Finnerty Field. The Blue and Gold scored in four of the first five innings and never looked back, improving to 7–7 overall while remaining 2–2 in the Northeast 10 Conference.

Pace wasted no time getting on the board in the first inning. Justin Crispino doubled to open the rally before Anthony Depetro drove him in with an RBI single to give the Setters a 1–0 lead.

The Blue and Gold broke the game open in the second inning. Manny Carreras reached base and later scored before Rocco Cimino delivered a two-run single to push the lead to 4–0. Pace continued to apply pressure and added two more runs in the third inning, highlighted by an RBI from Benjamin Tullo and another run coming home on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 6–0.

After the Spartans scored its lone run in the fifth to make it 6–1, the Blue and Gold answered immediately. Greg Becker doubled to begin the inning before Carreras reached and eventually scored as Pace pushed the advantage to 8–1.

Baseball added one more run in the seventh inning when Carreras came around to score again, stretching the lead to 9–1 and putting the game out of reach.

Carreras led the offense with three runs scored, while Cimino recorded two hits and two RBIs. Crispino, Brayden Sweppenhiser, and Nick Carlucci each added multi-hit performances as the Setters totaled 12 hits in the victory.

On the mound, Joe O'Toole set the tone with four scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out three to earn the win. The bullpen followed with a strong collective effort, limiting the Spartans to just one run across the final five innings to secure the victory.

Baseball returns to action this weekend, traveling to Franklin Pierce University for a four-game Northeast 10 series beginning on Friday at 1:30 p.m.