PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – On Friday, Pace University Baseball split a Northeast 10 Conference (NE10) doubleheader against Southern Connecticut State University at Finnerty Field. The Setters rolled to a 16-5 victory in game one before dropping a tightly contested 4-2 decision in the second game, moving to 15-20 overall and 10-14 in NE10 play.
Game One
Pace broke the opener open early and never looked back, scoring 16 runs across the second, third, fifth, and sixth innings. The Setters plated five runs in the second inning to take control and added another run in the third to build a 6-0 lead.
Rocco Cimino started the second-inning rally with an RBI single before
Justin Crispino drew a bases-loaded walk.
Anthony Depetro followed with a two-run single, and
Manny Carreras added an RBI single to cap the frame.
Southern Connecticut State got on the board in the fifth, but Pace responded immediately with five more runs in the bottom half.
Nick Carlucci doubled to open the inning before Cimino, Carreras,
Brayden Sweppenhiser, and
Cristian Rodriguez each drove in runs to push the lead to 11-1.
The Setters continued to pour it on in the sixth inning with five more runs. Depetro drew a bases-loaded walk, Carreras delivered an RBI single, Sweppenhiser added another RBI hit,
Taison Jemison was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and
Benjamin Tullo capped the inning with an RBI single.
Cimino finished with three runs scored and two RBIs, while Crispino scored three times and drove in one. Depetro totaled three RBIs, Carreras drove in three, and Sweppenhiser added two hits and two RBIs. Tullo collected three hits, Rodriguez drove in two runs, and Carlucci added two hits in the win.
Joe O'Toole started on the mound and allowed just one run across 4.2 innings before
Ryan Degnan earned the win in relief. O'Toole and Degnan combined for 11 strikeouts and held Southern Connecticut State to five runs.
Game Two (7 innings)
Southern Connecticut State grabbed control early in the second game, scoring twice in the opening inning before adding single runs in the third and fifth to build a 4-1 lead.
Justin Crispino got the Setters on the board in the first inning with a solo home run to right center, cutting the deficit to 2-1. The home run marked Crispino's first of the season.
Pace threatened in the fourth when Sweppenhiser singled and stole second, but the Setters could not bring him home. The Blue and Gold finally broke through again in the sixth inning when
Anthony Depetro singled and later scored on an RBI single from Carreras to trim the deficit to 4-2.
Eric Santaella turned in another strong outing despite the loss, striking out nine across seven innings while allowing four runs on seven hits. Santaella kept Pace within striking distance throughout the contest, but the Setters were unable to complete the comeback.
Depetro finished with two hits, while Carreras drove in a run. Crispino scored both Pace runs and added a hit, while Sweppenhiser and
Cristian Rodriguez also recorded hits in the loss.
The Setters continue their NE10 series against Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
