CLERMONT, Fla. – The Pace University softball team opened the 2016 campaign on Friday with a doubleheader down in Clermont, Fla. as part of its five-day trip down south to open the new season. The Setters dropped the first matchup to Mercy College, 2-0, but bounced back to defeat No. 20 Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), 3-2.
Game 1: Mercy 2, Pace 0Friday's first game was a pitcher's duel from start to finish, including five scoreless innings to start the game. Mercy got two runners on base in the top of the sixth, and moved them both into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Designated player Joelle Salisbury hit a sacrifice fly to right, bringing in the first run of the game to give the Mavericks a 1-0 lead. They added another run in the seventh on a two-out error, doubling the lead. The Setters were unable to get a run across in the seventh, leading to the 2-0 final in favor of Mercy.
Senior
Caitlin McCann (San Mateo, CA/Notre Dame) had a solid first outing of the season, but shouldered the loss to fall to 0-1. She went the complete seven innings, allowing just one earned run and scattering just three hits. McKaily Cusumano improves to 3-0 for Mercy after tossing a complete-game one hitter and striking out seven.
Sophomore center fielder
Larissa Labs (Carlsbad, CA/San Marcos High School) went 1-for-3 for the Setters in the game. Salisbury knocked in the only RBI of the game in an 0-for-2 outing for Mercy, while second baseman Marlena Marzigliano hit 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Game 2: Pace 3, No. 20 Southern New Hampshire 2The Setters bounced back quickly to pick up a huge win over No. 20 SNHU in Friday's second game. They avenged a semifinal-round loss to the top-seeded Penmen in last year's NE-10 Conference Championship Tournament with Friday's statement victory.
Junior catcher
Nikole Larm (Brewster, NY/Brewster) accounted for all three of the Setters' runs in the game, knocking them all in on a first-inning three-run blast to left field. She finished 1-for-2 in the game with three RBIs and a run scored.
Junior starter
Kaitlynn Nelson (Ojai, CA/Nordhoff) ran into some trouble in the bottom of the fourth. Back-to-back hits to start the inning brought in the Penmen's first run, and then an error plated the next to make it a 3-2 game without any outs in the inning. Nelson worked her way out of trouble, getting the next three outs without allowing another run to cross the plate.
Southern New Hampshire threatened in the seventh, getting two runners on with just one away. Nelson struck out the next batter for the second out, then got the final hitter to fly out to center and end the game.
Nelson went the full seven innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out six batters to start the season with a 1-0 record. Nicole Gubellini falls to 0-1 for the Penmen after yielding three runs in seven frames.
Senior third baseman
Victoria Quinones (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Spellman) batted 1-for-2 with a run scored, while junior first baseman
Haley Hernandez (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) scored another run after drawing a walk. Sophomore designated player
Surina Sandhu (Elk Grove, CA/Elk Grove High School) and sophomore left fielder
Tara Bernstein (Glen Oaks, NY/Bayside High School) both went 1-for-3 in the win.
SNHU third baseman Katie Caruso batted 3-for-3 with a run scored, while designated player Sara Lavallee hit 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
After going 1-1 on the first day down in Florida, the Setters will look to improve on day two with another pair of games. They will open up Saturday with a 9 a.m. matchup against Assumption College, followed by an 11 a.m. game against Grand Valley State University.
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