PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Undeterred by an unexpected venue change, the Pace University softball team put together a doubleheader sweep of the College of Saint Rose on Sunday afternoon. The games, which were scheduled to be road games for the Setters, were moved to the Pace Softball Field on Sunday morning due to unplayable field conditions in Albany.
The Blue and Gold's wins of 4-0 and 12-1 on Sunday clinch them a share of the NE10's Southwest Division championship for the second time in the last three years. Pace, which is currently riding a nine-game winning streak, finished 14-4 against divisional foes this season.
Inside the Numbers
*Sophomore Emma Bernet (Baldwinsville, NY/Charles W Baker) was once again the driving force in the circle for Pace. The right-hander tossed her third-straight complete-game shutout, lowering her NE10-leading ERA to a remarkable 1.11 this season (0.68 in league play). She has allowed just nine earned runs in 92.1 innings against conference opponents this season.
*After needing just four hits to sneak out a win in the opener, the Setters went off for 13 knocks in the second game of the day. Freshman Niyah Brown (Chino, CA/Chino Hills) finished the finale 3-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored. Brown was just a home run shy of the cycle, registering a single, a double and a triple in the contest.
*Brown's big afternoon completes what has been a spectacular regular season. She currently stands as Pace's top performer in batting (.387), slugging (.642) and RBIs (32).
*Emma Carruth (Torrance, CA/Beverly Hills), Emma Schafer (Mission Viejo, CA/El Toro), and Aby Brambila (Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park) also strung together multiple hits in Pace's 12-1 triumph. Brambila and Schafer each knocked in a pair as well.
*Senior Jordan Chillinsky (Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad High School) put together a 3-for-5 effort across the two games with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI. She caps off her final regular season batting .354 in 39 games.
*Larissa Labs (Carlsbad, CA/San Marcos High School) also put the finishing touches on a terrific regular season with a hit in each win. Labs ranks second on the squad this season with a .364 batting average while leading Pace in total hits (52).
*Senior Jaclyn Flores (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual High School) earned the win in the circle in Game Two Sunday, allowing just one unearned run in six innings of work. Flores, who improves to 8-7 this season, scattered just four hits while striking out a pair.
Game One Recap – Pace 4, Saint Rose 0
Bernet once again served as the catalyst in a shutout win for the Setters. She allowed just two hits acrosse the first four innings (six total), allowing ample time for Pace to put runs on the board.
The Setters did most of their damage in the third, stringing together a pair of hits and two walks to produce three runs. Schafer initiated a free pass to lead off the inning, before coming around to score following back-to-back singles from Lew and Labs. Lew would then score on a wild pitch while Labs raced home on a Brown sacrifice fly later in the frame.
Pace tacked on another tally in the sixth courtesy of an RBI double to left-center off the bat of Kahlie Bickerstaff (Bradenton, Florida/Lakewood Ranch). Chillinsky crossed home plate on the play after reaching base on an error.
Game Two Recap – Pace 12, Saint Rose 1 (Six Innings)
The Setters needed just six innings to rack up 13 hits and 12 runs in the Game Two triumph. It is the fourth time this season that Pace has put double digits on the scoreboard.
Following three scoreless frames, the Setters went off for three runs in both the fourth and the fifth innings before adding a six-spot in the sixth.
Brown sparked the rally, leading off the fourth with a double. She would then move over to third on a sacrifice bunt before darting home on a wild pitch. After Lindsey Ah Soon (Ewa Beach, HI/Kamehameha Kapalama) was hit by a pitch with two outs, Carruth singled to extend the inning further. Schafer would then knock them both in with a double. Schafer was thrown out at third to end the inning, attempting to leg out the triple.
Pace's next three-run inning consisted of RBI hits from Labs, Brown and Chillinsky. Brown tripled in a run while Labs and Chillinsky each recorded singles.
Already leading 6-1, the Blue and Gold made sure there was no doubt in the sixth with six more runs. Ashley Lew (New City, NY/Clarkstown High School North) hammered Pace's second triple of the contest, scoring Schafer and Carruth, while Chillinsky and Brambila also drove in runs with RBI knocks.
Up Next
The Setters, who earned the No. 2 seed in the Southwest, will play the winner of Assumption and Merrimack on Thursday during the first day of NE10 Championship Weekend at Adelphi.
