BRIARCLIFF MANOR, N.Y. – The Pace University softball team took a big step forward in the Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division on Tuesday, sweeping the University of New Haven in a doubleheader at Pace Field by scores of 2-1 and 8-4. The wins put Pace in second place in the division by itself with a 6-3 divisional record, while New Haven drops to 7-5 in Southwest Division play. Pace is 17-10 overall and 10-3 against the entire Northeast-10, while New Haven is now 16-8 and 8-6.
Game 1: Pace 2, New Haven 1
Senior starter
Caitlin McCann (San Mateo, CA/Notre Dame) picked up her fifth win of the year with a strong outing against the Chargers in game one. She went the complete seven innings, allowing just one run and striking out five to improve to 5-4 on the year.
In their first matchup earlier this season, the Setters and Chargers played to a 1-0 final in favor of Pace. In Tuesday's opener, both teams scored in the first inning. New Haven third baseman Taylor Luzzi opened things up with a single to center in the top of the first, scoring catcher Marissa Colby to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead.
Sophomore shortstop
Ashley Lew (New City, NY/Clarkstown High School North) opened the inning by reaching base on a catcher's interference. She then moved up to second on a wild pitch, and stole third shortly after. Junior second baseman
Haley Hernandez (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) took advantage, bringing Lew in on a double to center to tie the game at one.
With one away in the bottom of the fifth, Lew doubled to center field to set Pace up with a chance to take the lead. Hernandez walked in the next at bat, and Lew moved over to third as ball four got away to put runners on the corners. Hernandez then tried to steal second, and the catcher's throw got past the bag, allowing Lew to score from third and give Pace a 2-1 lead. McCann then did not allow a runner past first base the rest of the way, helping Pace hang on for the win.
Hernandez hit 1-for-2 in the game with a double and an RBI, and also stole a base. Lew went 1-for-1 with a double and two runs scored, swiping a bag as well. Junior catcher
Nikole Larm (Brewster, NY/Brewster) and sophomore third baseman
Surina Sandhu (Elk Grove, CA/Elk Grove High School) both batted 1-for-3 in the win.
New Haven starter Nicole King tossed six innings, allowing two runs (none earned) and giving up four hits, taking the loss to fall to 4-5. Colby batted 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, while Luzzi went 2-for-2 with the only RBI.
Game 2: Pace 8, New Haven 4
After a tight opener on Tuesday, the Setters found an offensive rhythm to the tune of 11 hits, leading to an 8-4 victory in Tuesday's finale. With the win, the Setters complete the three-game season sweep of the Chargers.
Junior catcher
Samantha Lima (Brawley, CA/Saddleback College) got things going in the first inning, picking up an RBI on an infield hit to give the Setters a 1-0 lead. Larm then hit a sacrifice fly to center, plating Sandhu to go up, 2-0.
Building off a solid first game, Hernandez added to Pace's lead in the bottom of the first with a solo home run to center, her first of the season, making it a 3-0 game. New Haven later chipped away at the Setters' lead in the top of the fifth, when Luzzi knocked in a pair of runs on a single to center, cutting the deficit to just a run. Sandhu then knocked in Lew on an RBI single to center in the bottom of the fifth to put Pace back up by two.
In the top of the sixth, second baseman Gabby DeLeo knocked in outfielder Tori Schiebe on a double to center to get the Chargers back within a run. Shortstop Julie Devlin then hit a double in the next at bat, bringing in DeLeo to tie the game at 4-4.
The Setters managed to load the bases with one away in the home half of the sixth frame. Sophomore center fielder
Larissa Labs (Carlsbad, CA/San Marcos High School) took advantage of the situation, beating out an infield single to put the Setters back on top. Lew then smacked a single into right, scoring two runs to make it 7-4. Hernandez then reached on a fielder's choice, during which all runners were safe, putting another run on the board for the Setters, who finished the inning with an 8-4 advantage. Sophomore starter
Jaclyn Flores (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual High School) then shut down the Chargers in order in the seventh, locking up the win and the sweep.
Flores went the complete seven innings, allowing four runs and striking out four batters to improve to 6-2 on the year. New Haven's Victoria Cabral drops to 12-3 after giving up seven runs on nine hits through 5.1 innings.
Lew hit 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two runs and a stolen base in the win. Hernandez knocked in two and scored another in a 1-for-3 outing that included her home run. Sandhu batted 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run. Labs knocked in a run and scored another in a 2-for-3 outing, while sophomore right fielder
Joyce LaBonte (Bolton, MA/Nashoba Regional High School) hit 2-for-3 with a run.
Jen Palase led the Chargers with a 2-for-4 effort in game two. Luzzi knocked in two runs after going 1-for-4. DeLeo and Devlin each went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
The Setters get back to work quickly, as they take a trip to New Haven, Conn. tomorrow, April 13, to take on Southern Connecticut State University in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader. The Southwest Division rivals will begin the twinbill at 3 p.m.
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