WORCESTER, MA. – On Saturday, Pace University Baseball continued its hot stretch, sweeping a Northeast 10 Conference (NE10) doubleheader at Assumption University with a wild 14-13 victory in game one followed by a commanding 8-1 win in game two. The Setters erupted for 22 runs and 27 hits across the two games, pushed their winning streak to five games, and improved to 20-20 overall and 15-14 in NE10 play.
Game One
The opener turned into an offensive slugfest, but the Setters made the biggest swings when they mattered most.
Pace struck first on a two-run home run from
Manny Carreras in the opening inning, but Assumption answered and carried a 6-4 lead into the sixth. That changed quickly when the Blue and Gold exploded for six runs in the frame.
Mike Manganiello doubled home a run before
Brian White tied the game on an RBI single.
Justin Crispino gave Pace the lead with a run-scoring fielder's choice before Carreras launched his second homer of the day, a three-run shot that capped the rally and put the Setters in front 10-6.
Pace added two more in the seventh on a two-run single from White and stretched the lead to 14-7 in the eighth when
Nick Carlucci blasted a two-run homer.
Assumption mounted a furious six-run rally in the eighth to pull within one, but
Tyler Rodriguez came on in the ninth and closed out the win.
Carreras powered the offense with five RBIs and two home runs, while White drove in four. Carlucci finished with three hits and two RBIs, and the Setters got multi-hit games from Tullo and White in a 16-hit attack.
Game Two (7 innings)
Pace carried the momentum into game two and leaned on dominant pitching from
Eric Santaella to complete the sweep.
After trailing 1-0, the Setters tied the game in the fourth when Sweppenhiser doubled and scored on an RBI single from Carlucci.
Pace seized control in the fifth with four runs.
Rocco Cimino delivered an RBI single before Sweppenhiser ripped a two-run double and Carreras added an RBI double to push the lead to 5-1.
The Blue and Gold added three more in the sixth, highlighted by another two-run double from Sweppenhiser, stretching the margin to 8-1.
Santaella was outstanding, tossing a complete game while allowing just one run on four hits with eight strikeouts. The senior retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced and did not allow a run after the second inning.
Sweppenhiser starred again, going 4-for-4 with four RBIs and three doubles, while Cimino added three hits and two RBIs. Carreras and Carlucci each drove in runs as Pace completed the sweep.
The Setters wrap up their four-game NE10 series at Assumption University on Sunday with a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.
