BRIARCLIFF, NY- The Setters split a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader against the St. Anselm Hawks as they fell in the first game 5-2 but rallied in the nightcap to win 5-4.
Pace moves to 2-10 overall and 1-1 in the NE-10, while the Hawks are now 7-5 and 1-1 in conference play.
St. Anselm posted three runs in the opening inning, while adding a pair in the fourth for a 5-0 lead. The Setters got a run back in the sixth as Jeane Drury (Flanders, NJ/Morris Catholic High School) (Flanders, NJ/Morris Catholic) singled to start the inning. She advanced to third on a Nikole Larm (Brewster, NY/Brewster) (Brewster, NY / Brewster) single. Pace got their first run of the game as Drury scored on a single by Natalie Gellos (Seattle, WA/Holy Names Academy) (Seattle, WA/Holy Names Academy).
The Setters loaded the bases in the seventh but only came away with one run on a Hana Wright (Hillsboro, OR/Valley Catholic) (Hillsboro, OR/Valley Catholic) fielder's choice.
For Pace, Gellos went 3-for-3, while Drury went 3-for-4 with a double. On the mound, Caitlin McCann (San Mateo, CA/Notre Dame) (San Mateo, CA/Notre Dame) tossed a complete game, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits, while striking out three as she falls to 1-5 on the season.
In the nightcap, Pace got out to an early lead with runs in the first two innings. The Setters loaded the bases in the first and got the first run of the game on an illegal pitch. In the second, Haley Hernandez (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) singled with one out and eventually came around to score on a Drury single.
The Hawks got a run back in the third but Pace added one in their half of the fourth. Samantha Garcia (Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Rancho Cucamonga) (Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Rancho Cucamonga) led off with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by Lana Buchbinder (San Francisco, CA/George Washington) (San Francisco, CA/George Washington) for a 3-1 lead.
St. Anselm tied it with a pair of runs in the fifth but the Setters retook the lead in the bottom of the inning. Larm doubled with one out and scored on a Garcia single. The Hawks tied it in the sixth but the Setters rallied in the seventh. Pace capitalized on a St. Anselm error to score the game-winning run to earn a split of the doubleheader.
For the Setters, Drury went 2-for-4 in the game with two stolen bases. On the mound, Kaitlynn Nelson (Ojai, CA/Nordhoff) went the distance, allowing four runs on nine hits, while striking out five to earn her first collegiate victory, improving to 1-4 on the season.
The Setters host the St. Michael's Purple Knights on Sunday, March 23 in an NE-10 twin bill starting at noon on the Briarcliff campus.
