CLERMONT, Fla. – Junior shortstop Ashley Lew (New City, NY/Clarkstown High School North) blasted a ninth-inning walkoff home run in Game 2 on Tuesday, lift the Pace University softball team to a split in a doubleheader against Post University at Minneola Athletic Complex Field 2 on the Setters' third day at the PFX Spring Games. Post held on late for a 7-6 win in Game 1, but Pace bounced back to take a 6-5 decision in extra innings in the finale.
 
GAME 1: POST 7, PACE 6
SCORING PLAYS
Bottom 1st – Post
- With two on, designated player Erica Ragazzone hit a three-run homer to give the Eagles a quick 3-0 lead.
 
Bottom 2nd – Post
- Ragazzone came through again for the Eagles in the second, roping a two-RBI single to right to make it a 5-0 game.
 
Top 4th – Pace
- Junior center fielder Larissa Labs (Carlsbad, CA/San Marcos High School) opened the fourth with a single through the right side.
- Senior designated player Samantha Lima (Brawley, CA/Saddleback College) then doubled to center to put two runners in scoring position.
- Sophomore first baseman Annie Carberry (Colorado Springs, CO/Pine Creek) then grounded out to second, but managed to score Labs from third for the first Pace run of the game.
- Sophomore third baseman Lindsey Ah Soon (Ena Beach, HI/Kamehameha Kapalama) then slammed a triple to right, bringing in Lima to make it 5-2.
- Ah Soon scored on the next play when senior catcher Nikole Larm (Brewster, NY/Brewster) grounded out to short, getting Pace back within two runs.
 
Bottom 4th – Post
- Ragazzone did it once again for Post in the fourth, this time hitting a two-RBI double to left to improve Post's lead to 7-3.
 
Top 6th – Dominican
- With one away, senior second baseman Haley Hernandez (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) blasted a solo home run, her first of the season, getting the Setters a little closer at 6-4.
 
Top 7th – Pace
- With the Setters needing a rally to tie the game, they started off the seventh with some help, as Hernandez reached base on an error to lead off the final frame.
- Labs then doubled to center, placing both runners in scoring position.
- Sophomore Brianna Parks (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) came on to pinch hit, and did her job with an RBI single to center to make it a 7-5 ballgame.
- Carberry then hit a long fly ball to center, good enough for a sacrifice fly to bring in Labs from third and bring the Setters within a run with one down in the inning.
- Pace was able to move the tying run into scoring position, but could not bring her in to score.
 
GAME 1 PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Brianna Koref (1-0)
Loss: Kaitlynn Nelson (Ojai, CA/Nordhoff) (0-2)
Save: Leslie Denis (1)
 
Pitching Notes
- Freshman Emma Bernet (Baldwinsville, NY/Charles W Baker) tossed the final four innings for Pace, allowing just two runs.
 
GAME 1 SETTER STATS
- Ah Soon hit a triple in a 1-for-4 effort, knocking in a run and scoring another.
- Carberry hit 1-for-3 with two RBIs.
- Labs batted 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a double.
- Lima went 2-for-3 with a run scored.
- Hernandez hit her first home run of the year, and finished 1-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
 
GAME 1 EAGLE LEADERS
- Ragazzone finished 3-for-4 with all seven RBIs, a run scored, a home run and a double.
- Second baseman Natalie Lennox went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two doubles.
 
 
GAME 2: PACE 6, POST 5 (9 INNINGS)
SCORING PLAYS
Top 1st – Post
- The Eagles took the early advantage once again when shortstop Leyri Rivera drew a bases-loaded walk to plate the first run of the game.
 
Bottom 2nd – Pace
- Pace quickly tied things up when junior right fielder Jordan Chillinsky (Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad High School) doubled in freshman designated player Emma Schafer (Mission Viejo, CA/El Toro) to make it a 1-1 game.
 
Bottom 4th – Pace
- The Setters brought another run across when Ah Soon stroked her first home run of the season to make it a 2-1 lead for Pace.
 
Top 5th – Post
- With the bases loaded, catcher Kate Dawson beat out a grounder to second, bringing in the tying run.
- Rivera then grounded into a double play, but it allowed another run to score and put the Eagles ahead, 3-2.
 
Bottom 5th – Pace
- The Setters wasted no time tying the game up, as Labs roped a double to left-center, scoring Lew from second to knot things up at 3-3 and eventually force extra innings.
 
Top 8th – Post
- The Eagles took advantage of the international tiebreaker rule, which places a runner on second base to start each of the extra frames, by bringing her in on a fielding error to take a 4-3 lead.
- Third baseman Jessica Grzywna then doubled in Rivera on the next play to give Post a 5-3 advantage.
 
Bottom 8th – Pace
- Labs started the inning on second base, and was quickly brought around to score on an RBI single by Carberry to get Pace back within a run.
- Freshman Emma Carruth (Torrance, CA/Beverly Hills) pinch ran for Carberry, and was later brought around to score on a triple by the pinch-hitting freshman Jillian Gartner (Encinitas, CA/San Dieguito Academy), tying things up at 5-5 and forcing another extra inning.
 
Bottom 9th – Pace
- With nobody on and two down in the ninth, Lew blasted a walkoff home run, sending Pace home with the victory in Tuesday's finale.
 
GAME 2 PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Jaclyn Flores (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual High School) (1-1)
Loss: Brianna Koref (1-1)
 
Pitching Notes
- Junior starter Jaclyn Flores (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual High School) went the complete nine innings for Pace, allowing just three earned runs while striking out four batters.
 
GAME 2 SETTER STATS
- Lew went 2-for-3 with two runs, an RBI and her walkoff solo homer. She also stole a base.
- Labs hit 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
- Ah Soon finished 1-for-4 with a solo home run.
- Carberry batted 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Chillinsky hit 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
 
GAME 2 EAGLE LEADERS
- Rivera knocked in two runs and scored another despite going 0-for-3.
- Dawson went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
- Grzywna hit a double and registered an RBI in her 1-for-4 effort.
 
TEAM RECORDS
Pace: 2-3
Post: 2-4
 
UP NEXT:
- The Setters continue play at the PFX Spring Games on Wednesday, March 15, when they take on a familiar foe in Northeast-10 Conference opponent Merrimack College in a non-conference doubleheader at Legends Way 4. The twinbill is set to begin at 8 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) and on Instagram (@Pace_Softball).
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