CLERMONT, Fla. – The Pace University softball team picked up a doubleheader split on its second day down in Clermont, Fla., moving to 2-2 on the young season. The Setters defeated Assumption College, 3-0, in the day's opener, but fell to Grand Valley State University in Saturday's finale, 13-5.
 
Game 1: Pace 3, Assumption 0
Sophomore starter Jaclyn Flores (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual High School) tossed a complete-game shutout to help Pace defeat Assumption, 3-0. She struck out seven batters, and worked her way out of numerous difficult situations, stranding 11 Greyhound runners on base. She improves to 1-0 on the season with the victory.
 
Things started quickly for the Setters, as junior catcher Nikole Larm (Brewster, NY/Brewster) kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the first with an RBI single up the middle, plating junior second baseman Haley Hernandez (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) to give Pace a 1-0 lead.
 
Sophomore center fielder Larissa Labs (Carlsbad, CA/San Marcos High School) doubled the Pace lead in the bottom of the second. She brought sophomore shortstop Ashley Lew (New City, NY/Clarkstown High School North) home from second on a triple to left, leaving Pace on top, 2-0.
 
The Setters added to their lead in the bottom of the third after catching a break. With runners on the corners, an illegal pitch on Assumptions pitcher moved each runner up, bringing in the third and final run of the game.
 
Assumption opened the fourth with three-straight singles, but the Setters prevented the bases loaded by getting the lead runner out in a rundown after she tried to advance to home. Flores struck out the next batter, and got the final out on a ground out to first to keep the Greyhounds off the board. She found herself stuck with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth, but got the final batter to line out and end the inning.
 
Larm finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in the win. Hernandez batted 2-for-4 with a run scored. Sophomore left fielder Tara Bernstein (Glen Oaks, NY/Bayside High School) went 2-for-3, while Lew hit 1-for-2 with a stolen base.
 
Nicole Harvey took the loss for Assumption after allowing three runs (two earned) in 2.1 innings. Second baseman Ashley Abad hit 2-for-4, while third baseman Nicole Duplease, designated player Christina Caira and left fielder Caitlin Mirabell all went 1-for-2.
 
Game 2: Grand Valley State 13, Pace 5 (6 innings)
Saturday's second game got off to a rough start, as Grand Valley State took a five-run lead after the first two innings. The Setters rallied for three runs in the third to get back in the game. With the bases loaded, junior catcher Samantha Lima (Brawley, CA/Saddleback College) hit an infield single to bring in the first run for Pace. Larm then brought in the next on a sacrifice fly to center field. Sophomore third baseman Surina Sandhu (Elk Grove, CA/Elk Grove High School) capped off the inning with an RBI double to center, cutting Grand Valley State's lead to 5-3.
 
The Lakers responded with a four-run rally in the bottom of the third to improve their lead to 9-3. They added another run in the fourth to make it a 10-3 lead.
 
Sandhu picked up her second RBI of the game on a groundout in the fifth that plated Lima from third. Freshman second baseman Lindsey Ah Soon (Ena Beach, HI/Kamehameha Kapalama) then doubled in Bernstein to make it a 10-5 game. The Lakers scored two more runs in the fifth, followed by another in the sixth to end the game via the eight-run rule.
 
Sara Andrasik improves to 4-0 with the win for Grand Valley State. Senior starter Caitlin McCann (San Mateo, CA/Notre Dame) falls to 0-2 after taking the loss.
 
Lima finshed up 2-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored and a double in the game. Labs hit 1-for-2 with a triple and a run. Lew batted 2-for-3 with a run scored.
 
Grand Valley State first baseman Mckenze Supernaw hit 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored. Designated player Ellie Balbach knocked in another three runs in a 3-for-5 outing. Catcher Kaylie Rhynard batted 4-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI.
 
Pace gets back to work on Sunday, March 13, when they take on Minnesota State University Moorhead at 9 a.m., and then Philadelphia University at 11 a.m. Both games will take place at the NTC Softball Complex in Clermont, Fla.
 
For all information regarding Pace University softball, log on to www.PaceUAthletics.com and follow Pace Athletics on Facebook (T-Bone, Official Mascot of Pace University Athletics) and follow Pace Softball on Twitter (@Pace_Softball).
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