CLERMONT, Fla. – The Pace University softball team concluded its trip to the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla. with its final two games of the week Tuesday morning. The Setters fell, 6-1, to Saint Thomas Aquinas College (STAC) in the early matchup, then bounced back to defeat the University of Bridgeport, 7-2, in the day's finale. Pace leaves Florida with a 5-5 record.
 
Game 1: Saint Thomas Aquinas 6, Pace 1
Tuesday's first game got off to a rough start, as the Spartans managed to put three runs on the board in the top of the first. The Setters bounced back when sophomore shortstop Ashley Lew (New City, NY/Clarkstown High School North) singled with the bases loaded in the second to bring in a run, but it turned out to be the only one they would score in the game.
 
STAC added two more runs in the top of the fourth, and one final run in the sixth to pick up the 6-1 victory.
 
Sophomore starter Jaclyn Flores (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual High School) took her first loss of the season to fall to 2-1. She allowed four earned runs in the complete seven innings. Briana Keaveney got the win for STAC to improve to 2-0.
 
Lew hit 2-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base in the game. Sophomore left fielder Tara Bernstein (Glen Oaks, NY/Bayside High School) also went 2-for-3. Sophomore center fielder Larissa Labs (Carlsbad, CA/San Marcos High School) batted 2-for-4 with a swiped bag.
 
STAC was led by shortstop Kelcy McGeehan, who went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Right fielder Samantha McDonald hit 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI in the game.
 
Game 2: Pace 7, Bridgeport 2
After struggling on offense in Tuesday's opener, the Setters found their rhythm midway through game two. Labs got things going with an RBI double in the top of the third to put Pace up, 1-0.
 
The Setters broke it open in the top of the fourth, batting around to bring in six more runs. Freshman outfielder Hannah Kowalski (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) singled with two runners on to bring in a run. Lew bunted for a single to load the bases, and then Labs brought in another run on an infield single to make it a 3-0 lead for Pace. Junior second baseman Haley Hernandez (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) then roped a double to right field, plating two more runs. Sophomore designated player Surina Sandhu (Elk Grove, CA/Elk Grove High School) followed up with an RBI single, and then Hernandez scored on a passed ball to give Pace a 7-0 advantage.
 
Bridgeport brought in its first run in the fourth, and one more in the seventh, but junior starter Kaitlynn Nelson (Ojai, CA/Nordhoff) limited the scoring to lead Pace to the win.
 
Nelson improves to 3-1 with the victory, allowing just two runs while striking out six batters. Bridgeport starter Alyssa Bua was tagged with the loss after yielding seven runs (six earned) in 3.1 innings.
 
Labs hit 3-for-5 with two RBIs, one run and a double. Hernandez knocked in two runs and scored another in a 1-for-2 outing. Bernstein went 2-for-3 with a triple and a double in the win. Lew scored twice after going 1-for-2, and Sandhu knocked in a run in a 2-for-3 effort.
 
Bridgeport shortstop Kamryn Beach hit 1-for-3 with a run scored, while right fielder Jenna DiLorenzo went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
 
The Setters will now fly home and rest for a few days before picking things up on Sunday, March 20, when they host Assumption College in a doubleheader at Pace Field on the Briarcliff campus. The Setters' home-opening doubleheader is set for a 12 p.m. start.
 
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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