HOOKSETT, N.H. – Pace University Baseball continued Northeast 10 Conference (NE10) Championship play on Thursday afternoon, falling to #2 seed Bentley University, 7-5, at Penmen Field. The #6 seed Setters, the defending NE10 champions, move to 23-26 overall and will now face #4 seed Adelphi University in an elimination game Friday morning at 10:00 a.m.
Bentley struck first with three runs in the second inning, but Pace began to chip away in the third.
Brayden Sweppenhiser worked a lead-off walk before
Manny Carreras singled to put two runners on. After
Benjamin Tullo moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt,
Cristian Rodriguez lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home Sweppenhiser and make it 3-1.
The Falcons added a run in the third to stretch the deficit to 4-1, but the Blue and Gold answered again in the fifth.
Nick Carlucci reached with one out before Rodriguez delivered the biggest swing of the afternoon for Pace, launching a two-run home run to right field to pull the Setters within one at 4-3.
Bentley responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and another in the sixth to extend the lead to 7-3. Pace continued to create traffic, finishing with 12 hits and six walks, but left runners on base throughout the contest.
The Setters made one final push in the ninth. Rodriguez doubled to left center before
Mike Manganiello drove him in with an RBI triple to center field.
Brian White followed with an RBI single to right center, trimming the deficit to 7-5 and bringing the tying run to the plate. The Falcons escaped the inning, however, to close out the win.
Rodriguez led the offense with two hits, three RBIs, and two runs scored, finishing a triple shy of the cycle.
Rocco Cimino,
Justin Crispino, and Sweppenhiser each added two hits, while Manganiello recorded a triple and an RBI. White also came off the bench to drive in a run in the ninth.
Aidan Kempf got the start and struck out eight over 5.2 innings, while
Tyler Rodriguez worked 2.1 scoreless innings in relief, allowing no hits and striking out two to keep Pace within reach late.
The Setters now move into the elimination side of the bracket, where they will look to keep their postseason run alive after opening the tournament with a 7-6 comeback win over #5 seed Saint Anselm College on Tuesday.
Pace will face #4 seed Adelphi University in an elimination game of the NE10 Championship on Friday at 10:00 a.m. in Hooksett, N.H.
