COLCHESTER, Vt. – Three Pace University softball team pitchers combined to allow just three hits across 13 innings on Saturday, leading the Setters to a doubleheader sweep of Saint Michael's College in Northeast-10 Conference action at Doc Jacobs Field. The Setters jump to 15-9 overall and 8-2 in NE-10 play with the pair of wins, while the Purple Knights drop to 2-16 and 1-7.
 
Game 1: Pace 3, Saint Michael's 0
Senior starter Caitlin McCann (San Mateo, CA/Notre Dame) blew the Purple Knights away in Saturday's opener, allowing just one hit in seven innings. She earned the complete-game shutout to improve to 4-4 on the year, and struck out two batters in the process.
 
The Setters picked up the only run they needed after just two batters. Sophomore center fielder Larissa Labs (Carlsbad, CA/San Marcos High School) opened the game with a triple to right. Sophomore shortstop Ashley Lew (New City, NY/Clarkstown High School North) followed with a double into the left-center gap, giving Pace a quick 1-0 advantage.
 
Though the first run would prove to be enough, the Setters added another two in the top of the sixth. With runners on second and third, sophomore first baseman Cristen Whigham (Westbury, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) singled up the middle, bringing in both runners to make it a 3-0 lead for the Setters. McCann then closed out the game with two quick innings to secure the win.
 
Lew hit 2-for-3 with an RBI, a run and a double in the game-one victory. Sophomore designated player Surina Sandhu (Elk Grove, CA/Elk Grove High School) also went 2-for-3 with a run. Whigham knocked in two in a 1-for-3 effort, while Labs scored a run with after a triple in her 1-for-3 outing.
 
Saint Michael's starter Danielle Brown dropped to 2-6 after giving up three runs on six hits through the complete seven innings. Third baseman Jenna Maksian picked up the only hit for the Purple Knights, a single with one out in the bottom of the first.
 
Game 2: Pace 9, Saint Michael's 0 (6 innings)
Junior starter Kaitlynn Nelson (Ojai, CA/Nordhoff) and sophomore Jaclyn Flores (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual High School) combined to two-hit the Purple Knights in Saturday's finale. Nelson went 3.2 innings, allowing both hits and striking out three, while Flores followed it up with 2.1 hitless innings. Flores fanned two batters en route to earning the victory, improving her record to 5-2 on the year.
 
Sandhu had a huge game to fuel the Setters to an eight-run-rule victory. She batted 4-for-4 with four RBIs, two runs and three doubles. After her best game of the season, Sandhu now has at least one hit in 18-of-21 games this season, and leads the team with 14 RBIs, seven doubles and a .590 slugging percentage.
 
Sandhu knocked in the first run of the game on a single through the left side in the top of the first, bringing Labs around to score. Junior second baseman Haley Hernandez (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) then brought in a run on a fielder's choice that plated Lew to make it 2-0. Junior catcher Samantha Lima (Brawley, CA/Saddleback College) provided the big blow of the inning, a two-run single to left that doubled the lead to 4-0 before the Purple Knights got a chance to bat.
 
Sandhu came through again in the top of the second with a double that scored sophomore right fielder Jordan Chillinsky (Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad High School) to make it a 5-0 edge for the Setters. The scoring continued in the third when sophomore left fielder Tara Bernstein (Glen Oaks, NY/Bayside High School) singled in Lima, giving Pace a six-run advantage. Sandhu hit doubles in the fourth and sixth innings, both scoring Lew to eventually make it an 8-0 lead for the visitors. Whigham brought in the final run in the sixth on a groundout to second, allowing Sandhu to score and make it 9-0.
 
Lew went 2-for-3 with a triple and three runs scored in game two. Lima batted 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run. Bernstein hit 1-for-2 with an RBI, and Hernandez scored once and knocked in another despite going 0-for-2.
 
Molly Feeney shouldered the loss for the Purple Knights to drop to 0-8. She allowed six runs on seven hits in three innings of work. Right fielder Caroline Staples and shortstop Danielle Barbato each went 1-for-3, accounting for the team's only two hits.
 
With two big wins under their belts, the Setters now look ahead to their next matchup with Adelphi University on Tuesday, April 5, at Pace Field. The single game is set for a 3:30 p.m. first pitch. Sunday's originally scheduled doubleheader at Saint Anselm College has been canceled.
 
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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