CLERMONT, Fla. – The Pace University softball team picked up a pair of wins on its third day down in at the NTC Softball Complex in Clermont, Fla., defeating Minnesota State University Moorhead, 2-0, in the early game, and then beating Philadelphia University, 9-1, in the day's finale. The Setters move to 4-2 on the early season with the sweep.
 
Game 1: Pace 2, Minnesota State University Moorhead 0
Junior starter Kaitlynn Nelson (Ojai, CA/Nordhoff) tossed a one-hit gem to lead the Setters to victory over the Dragons in Sunday's opener. She did not allow a run and struck out a season-high eight batters to improve to 2-0 on the season.
 
Nelson struck out the side in the top of the first, setting Pace up to take an early advantage. Sophomore center fielder Larissa Labs (Carlsbad, CA/San Marcos High School) opened bottom of the first with a double, and then junior first baseman Haley Hernandez (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) smacked a double of her own to bring in the game's first run.
 
Freshman second baseman Lindsey Ah Soon (Ena Beach, HI/Kamehameha Kapalama) opened the second much like the first, with a double into left field. Sophomore right fielder Joyce LaBonte (Bolton, MA/Nashoba Regional High School) sacrificed her over to third, and then sophomore shortstop Ashley Lew (New City, NY/Clarkstown High School North) was able to single her in to double the Setters' lead.
 
The rest of the way, Nelson allowed just one runner to advance past second base. In the seventh inning, Nelson allowed her only two walks of the game, but struck out the side once again to close it out.
 
Labs went 1-for-3 with her double and a run scored, while Hernandez also hit 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Lew went 1-for-2 with an RBI, while Ah Soon batted 1-for-2 with a run scored.
 
Third baseman Morgan Anderson went 1-for-3 with the only hit of the day for the Dragons.
 
Game 2: Pace 9, Philadelphia 1 (6 inn)
The bats came alive for the Setters in Sunday's finale, as they scored a weekend-best nine runs to defeat Philadelphia. Hernandez picked up three RBIs in the game after going 2-for-4, while junior catcher Samantha Lima (Brawley, CA/Saddleback College) and freshman first baseman Annie Carberry (Colorado Springs, CO/Pine Creek) each knocked in two runs.
 
The Setters rallied for three runs in the top of the first, chasing Philadelphia starter Jayme Kagel after just two-thirds of an inning. Lima hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Labs for the first run of the game. Sophomore third baseman Surina Sandhu (Elk Grove, CA/Elk Grove High School) then doubled in another run, and later scored on yet another double by sophomore left fielder Tara Bernstein (Glen Oaks, NY/Bayside High School), leaving Pace up, 3-0.
 
The Rams scored their only run of the game on an RBI single by shortstop Gianna Bliss in the bottom of the third. Pace responded in the next inning when Hernandez hit an RBI infield single to make it a 4-1 game.
 
Pace broke the game open in the top of the sixth. Hernandez tripled with two runners on, clearing the bases to give the Setters a five-run lead. Lima added another RBI on an infield single, and then Carberry smacked a two-run double to put Pace up by eight. Sophomore starter Jaclyn Flores (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual High School) kept the Rams off the board in the bottom of the sixth, ending the game via the eight-run rule.
 
Flores improved to 2-0 on the season after yielding just a single run in six innings of work. Kagel took the loss for Philadelphia after giving up the first three runs of the game.
 
Labs hit 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a triple in the win. Junior designated player Nikole Larm (Brewster, NY/Brewster) batted 2-for-3 with two runs and a double. Carberry and Sandhu each hit 1-for-2 with a double apiece. Lew scored twice in a 2-for-4 effort.
 
Bliss hit 2-for-3 form the Rams, knocking in their only run. Catcher Erica D'Angelo scored on Bliss' RBI single.
 
The Setters will face off with Molloy College twice on Monday down in Clermont. The first matchup is set for 9 a.m., followed by an 11 a.m. contest to close out the day.
 
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