PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – On Saturday, Pace University Baseball swept a Northeast 10 Conference (NE10) doubleheader against Southern Connecticut State University at Finnerty Field, earning a 9-3 win in game one before following with a 15-7 victory in game two. The Setters jumped out to early leads in both contests and finished the day with 24 runs, 26 hits, and 22 RBIs, improving to 17-20 overall and 12-14 in NE10 play. With the sweep, the Blue and Gold secured a split of the four-game series.
Game One (7 innings)
Pace wasted no time taking control in the opener, scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Rocco Cimino led off with a single before
Anthony Depetro brought home the game's first run with an RBI single.
Benjamin Tullo later drew a bases-loaded walk,
Nick Carlucci followed with another RBI walk,
Robbie Caffrey ripped a two-run double, and
Cristian Rodriguez added an RBI single to cap the six-run frame.
The Setters added two more runs in the second inning. Depetro reached after being hit by a pitch and stole both second and third before
Brayden Sweppenhiser lined an RBI double to left center. Tullo followed with a single, and Sweppenhiser later scored on an error to extend the lead to 8-0.
Southern Connecticut State chipped away with two runs in the third and another in the fourth, but
Sean Costello kept the Owls from getting any closer. Costello tossed a complete game, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out seven.
Pace added its final run in the fifth inning when Cimino singled and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Depetro. Sweppenhiser finished with two hits and two runs scored, while Depetro totaled two hits, two RBIs, and three stolen bases. Caffrey added two RBIs, Tullo finished with two hits and an RBI, and Cimino scored twice in the win.
Game Two
Southern Connecticut State grabbed an early 4-1 lead through the first two innings before the Setters started to respond.
Justin Crispino hit a solo home run in the first inning, and
Anthony Depetro added a sacrifice fly in the third to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Pace broke the game open in the fourth inning with five runs.
Cristian Rodriguez and Cimino each walked before Crispino lined a two-run single to tie the game. Depetro followed with an RBI double, and
Manny Carreras added a two-run single to give the Setters a 7-5 advantage.
Southern Connecticut State answered with two runs in the fifth to even the score at 7-7, but Pace immediately took control again in the sixth. Rodriguez walked, Crispino was hit by a pitch, and Depetro singled to load the bases before Carreras launched a grand slam to left field. The home run marked Carreras' first grand slam of the season and the fifth grand slam hit by the team this year. Later in the inning, Sweppenhiser stole home to push the lead to 12-7.
The Setters added three more runs in the seventh inning behind an RBI double from Crispino, an RBI double from Depetro, and an RBI walk from Carlucci.
Carreras finished with six RBIs, while Crispino went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and four runs scored. Depetro added four hits and three RBIs, and Rodriguez scored three times.
Tyler Rodriguez earned the win in relief after tossing 3.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
The Setters return to action on Tuesday when they face Adelphi University, with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
