PLEASANTVILLE, New York - A pair of tough innings were the difference as the American International College baseball team fell 9-1 and 8-3 to Pace University in Northeast-10 Conference play on Friday, April 4.

AIC is now 11-13 overall and 5-4 in the NE10.

In the first game, the Setters scored five times in the third, with all the runs being unearned thanks to a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt after a leadoff double. After a flyout that would have ended the inning had the error not occurred, the Setters strung together two singles, a walk, and a double to add to the total.

The Setters then added two in the sixth, with a sacrifice fly and a solo home run, as well as two in the seventh thanks to a single, triple, and single. 

AIC did break the shutout, putting together a two-out rally in the eighth where Aidan Streeter and Cole Patterson singled before Brendan Edvardsen walked to load the bases. Sam Tanous collected his second hit of the day, driving Streeter home, but that was the final and only run of the game for the Yellow Jackets.

Vaughn O'Leary allowed just two earned runs in six frames of work on the bump for the Yellow Jackets.

In game two, AIC packed the bags quickly; Edvardsen walked, Tanous doubled, and Leandro Guevara absorbed a pitch before Nick Serce singled to drive Edvardsen home. Two batters later, Kiernan Caffrey walked, pushing Tanous home. 

Pace bounced back in the second, as a hit batter, walk, single, and balk created two runs, but Josh Frometa and Caffrey responded in the third, as Frometa doubled to left and Caffrey drove him in with a single through the right side. 

On the mound, Hayden Mutz was strong, shutting down the Setters to the tune of just three hits in 7.0+ innings of work, including halting a second-and-third situation in the fourth with a popout and a lineout. 

In the eighth, however, the Setters bats woke back up, as they combined for eight of their 10 hits in the game and scored six times to stun the Yellow Jackets and take the game. 

The teams will finish the series on Sunday, April 6. Game time is set for noon at Pace's Peter X. Finnerty Field, although inclement weather may change that start time; follow @aicathletics and @aicbaseball on Instagram for the latest updates.