FLUSHING, N.Y. – Sophomore starter Jaclyn Flores (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual High School) tossed a two-hitter in game two of Thursday's doubleheader at Queens College, sending the Pace University softball team home with a split. The Setters won the second game, 2-1, avenging a 2-1 defeat in game one after a strong start by junior Kaitlynn Nelson (Ojai, CA/Nordhoff). Pace moves to 13-9 on the year, while Queens goes to 7-9.
 
Game 1: Queens 2, Pace 1
The Knights walked off in game one on Thursday. With two runners on and two away in the bottom of the seventh, an error brought in the runner from second base, ending the game with a 2-1 final score.
 
Nelson took the hard-luck loss to fall to 6-3. She went 6.2 innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out six batters. Queens starter Morgan Starley improves to 2-1 on the year after tossing seven frames and allowing a run.
 
Queens got on the board first in Thursday's opener when right fielder Kylie Spillet hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth. The Setters quickly responded by loading the bases in the top of the fifth. The first three batters of the inning reached base, leaving sophomore third baseman Surina Sandhu (Elk Grove, CA/Elk Grove High School) with a bases-loaded, no-out opportunity. She grounded out to second base, but brought in freshman Hannah Kowalski (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) from third to tie the game. The Setters were unable to continue the rally, and remained tied after the inning.
 
Sandhu went 1-for-4 in the game with the only RBI. Sophomore shortstop Ashley Lew (New City, NY/Clarkstown High School North) went 0-for-1, but walked twice and stole a base. Junior catcher Nikole Larm (Brewster, NY/Brewster) batted 1-for-2, while both sophomore center fielder Larissa Labs (Carlsbad, CA/San Marcos High School) and junior second baseman Haley Hernandez (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) went 1-for-3.
 
Queens was led by Spillet, who went 1-for-2 with her solo home run. Four other Queens hitters picked up singles in the game.
 
Game 2: Pace 2, Queens 1
Flores kept herself out of trouble until the seventh inning of game two. With a 2-0 lead, Flores allowed the only run of the game for the Knights on a wild pitch with two away. She then got the final batter to ground out to short, giving Pace a 2-1 victory.
 
Flores went the complete seven innings, giving up just two hits and one earned run. She also struck out six batters to improve to 4-2 on the season.
 
Pace got on the board first in Thursday's finale when Sandhu scored on an error by the second baseman in the top of the fourth. In the top of the sixth, freshman second baseman Lindsey Ah Soon (Ena Beach, HI/Kamehameha Kapalama) blasted her first-career home run, a solo shot to left that proved to be the game-winner as Pace went up, 2-0.
 
Ah Soon went 1-for-4 in the game with her solo homer. Sandhu hit 2-for-3 with a run and a stolen base. Sophomore center fielder Jordan Chillinsky (Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad High School) batted 1-for-2, while Labs went 1-for-4.
 
Queens starter ToniMarie Valeriano went four innings, allowing one unearned run to take the loss and fall to 4-4 on the season.
 
The Setters return to Northeast-10 Conference play on Saturday, April 2, when they visit Saint Michael's College in Colchester, N.Y. The doubleheader is set to begin at the rescheduled time of 10 a.m.
 
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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