BRIARCLIFF MANOR, N.Y. – The Pace University softball team played its home openers on Saturday, and picked up a non-conference sweep of previously unbeaten Mercy College at Pace Field. Senior starter
Kaitlynn Nelson (Ojai, CA/Nordhoff) made a terrific start in Pace's 2-1 victory in Game 1, and senior second baseman
Haley Hernandez (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) provided a walkoff home run in extra innings to lift Pace to a 4-3 win in the finale.
GAME 1: PACE 2, MERCY 1
SCORING PLAYS
Top 3rd – Mercy
- With a runner on third, right fielder Janelle Wade beat out a single to second, allowing the first run of the game to score, giving the Mavericks a 1-0 lead.
Bottom 3rd – Pace
- The Setters had two on and two out for freshman designated player
Emma Schafer (Mission Viejo, CA/El Toro), who came through with an RBI double to left, tying the game up at 1-1.
Bottom 6th – Pace
- Sophomore
Brianna Parks (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) pinch hit to lead off the sixth, and quickly roped a single into left.
- Sophomore third baseman
Lindsey Ah Soon (Ena Beach, HI/Kamehameha Kapalama) then re-entered for Parks, and was sacrificed into scoring position by senior catcher
Nikole Larm (Brewster, NY/Brewster).
- Freshman
Stephanie Wang (Arcadia, CA/Arcadia) came up clutch in a pinch-hitting opportunity, singling in Ah Soon to score the eventual game-winning run.
GAME 1 PITCHING DECISIONS
Win:
Kaitlynn Nelson (Ojai, CA/Nordhoff) (3-2)
Loss: Kaylee Stevens (2-1)
Pitching Notes
- Nelson made her third straight brilliant start on Saturday, going the full seven innings without an earned run allowed. She struck out four batters and allowed just three hits. Nelson has allowed just one earned run in her past 17 innings.
- Mercy starter Kaylee Stevens gave up two runs on six hits with five walks to shoulder her first loss of the year.
GAME 1 SETTER STATS
- Wang contributed the game-winning RBI in her only at-bat of the game.
- Schafer batted 1-for-3 with an RBI double.
- Larm hit 1-for-1 with a single, a sacrifice bunt and a walk.
- Junior shortstop
Ashley Lew (New City, NY/Clarkstown High School North) went 1-for-1 with a stolen base.
- Junior right fielder
Jordan Chillinsky (Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad High School) hit a double while going 1-for-3.
GAME 1 MAVERICK LEADERS
- Wade hit 1-for-3 with Mercy's only RBI of the game.
- Second baseman Skania Lemus and third baseman also went 1-for-3.
GAME 2: PACE 4, MERCY 3 (8 INNINGS)
SCORING PLAYS
Bottom 3rd – Pace
- Wang led off the third with a walk, and then Lew beat out a bunt single to quickly put two runners on.
- Both moved up on a wild pitch in the next at-bat, and then freshman second baseman
Emma Carruth (Torrance, CA/Beverly Hills) brought in Wang on a ground out to give the Setters a 1-0 lead.
Bottom 4th – Pace
- After Chillinsky was hit by a pitch, Ah Soon doubled to left-center, bringing Chillinsky all the way home from first to double the Setter lead.
- Wang then singled in Ah Soon with two down in the inning to make it a 3-0 lead for Pace.
Top 6th – Mercy
- Lemus hit a solo home run to left-center, getting the Mavericks on the board for the first time in the game.
Top 7th – Mercy
- With one on and two away, pinch hitter Kendall Meeks hit a two-run homer to right, tying the game up in the seventh frame.
Bottom 8th – Pace
- Hernandez came on to pinch hit in the bottom of the eighth for Pace, and took advantage of her only plate appearance with a blast over the left-center field wall, giving Pace the walkoff victory in Saturday's nightcap.
GAME 2 PITCHING DECISIONS
Win:
Jaclyn Flores (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual High School) (3-1)
Loss: Alexis Carmichael (0-1)
Pitching Notes
- Flores went all eight frames, allowing just three runs on six hits for her third win of the season.
- Carmichael took over for starter Jackie Kielty in the fourth, but took the loss after giving up Hernandez's walkoff.
GAME 2 SETTER STATS
- Hernandez hit the walkoff solo blast in the eighth in her only at-bat.
- Ah Soon batted 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
- Wang went 1-for-2 with an RBI, a run and a walk.
GAME 2 MAVERICK LEADERS
- Lemus hit 2-for-4 with a solo home run.
- Meeks smacked a two-run homer in her pinch-hit opportunity.
TEAM RECORDS
Pace: 7-5
Mercy: 4-2
UP NEXT:
- With Sunday's doubleheader against Southern New Hampshire University canceled, the Setters are set to play next on Tuesday, March 28, at Southern Connecticut State University for their third meeting of the young season. First pitch is set for 3 p.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).
