BRIARCLIFF, NY- Nikole Larm (Brewster, NY/Brewster) (Brewster, NY/Brewster) drove in six runs as the Setters split a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader against the St. Michael's Purple Knights. Pace fell in the opener 11-9 but rallied to take game two 10-0 in five innings.
The Setters are 3-11 overall and 2-2 in the NE-10, while the Purple Knights are 1-10 and 1-2 in conference play.
In the opener, the Setters got on the board in the opening inning as Jeane Drury (Flanders, NJ/Morris Catholic High School) (Flanders, NJ/Morris Catholic) tripled with one out and scored on a Hana Wright (Hillsboro, OR/Valley Catholic) (Hillsboro, OR/Valley Catholic) single. St. Michael's tied the score at one with a run in the second but Pace rallied with six runs in their half of the second. Lana Buchbinder (San Francisco, CA/George Washington) (San Francisco, CA/George Washington) and Larm both had key hits in the inning as each hit three-run homeruns to account for the runs in the frame.
The Purple Knights answered with seven runs in the third to take an 8-7 lead and extended their lead with a run in the final three innings. The Setters shaved the deficit with two runs in the seventh, keyed by a Natalie Gellos (Seattle, WA/Holy Names Academy) (Seattle, WA/Holy Names Academy) double but fell short.
For the Setters, Drury scored three runs, while Larm and Buchbinder both had two hits and three RBI. On the hill, Caitlin McCann (San Mateo, CA/Notre Dame) (San Mateo, CA/Notre Dame) tossed three innings, allowing eight runs on seven hits, while striking out five as she falls to 1-6 on the season. Kira Knight (Benicia, CA/Benicia) tossed the final four innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and struck out one.
In the nightcap, Pace raced out to a 10-0 lead in the first five innings with four in the second and the third. Haley Hernandez (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) drove in a pair of runs in the second, while Gellos and Larm added RBI singles. In the third, Hernandez and Gellos both drew bases loaded walks, while Larm drove in two runs later in the innings. The Setters tacked on two more runs in the fourth as Drury singled in a pair of runs.
For the Setters, Hernandez and Gellos both went 2-for-2 in the nightcap, with Hernandez totaling three RBI and Gellos with two. Larm and Drury also collected two hits in game two. On the mound, Kaitlynn Nelson (Ojai, CA/Nordhoff) went the distance, tossing a three-hit shutout, striking out three as she improves to 2-4 on the season.
The Setters host the Adelphi Panthers on Tuesday, March 25 in an NE-10 Southwest Division game starting at 3:30 pm on the Briarcliff campus.
