GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – In a battle between two of the best pitchers in the league, sophomore Emma Bernet (Baldwinsville, NY/Charles W Baker) led the Pace University softball team to a 3-1 win over Merrimack College on Thursday in the Northeast-10 Conference Quarterfinals.
The second-seeded Setters will now advance to take on one of the top seeds, No. 24 Saint Anselm College, in the semifinals tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. Pace enters Friday on a 10-game winning streak.
Bernet, who yesterday was named to the NE10 All-Conference First Team, scattered just three hits while allowing the one run, in her 16th complete game of the season. She finished the day with three strikeouts and no walks. Bernet's ERA this season remains a remarkable 1.11 across 139.1 innings of action.
On the other side, Pace's offense was able to do just enough against the NE10's Pitcher of the Year, Megan Cook. The Setters, who mustered five hits of their own, put two runs on the board in the third and another in the fifth. Pace would go on to leave the bases loaded in the fifth.
Larissa Labs (Carlsbad, CA/San Marcos High School) found the most success for the Blue and Gold, reaching base in all three of her at-bats. The NE10 second teamer finished 2-for-2 on the day with two RBIs and a walk. She knocked an RBI single in the third, and an RBI double in the fifth.
Stephanie Wang (Arcadia, CA/Arcadia) drove in the Setters' other run with a sacrifice fly in the third. Senior Ashley Lew (New City, NY/Clarkstown High School North) scored on the play after hitting a one-out single. Lew joined Labs in recording a 2-for-2 effort at the plate on Thursday.
Pace's other hit against Cook came courtesy of Briana Ryan (Wilmington, CA/Carson), who hammered a lead-off triple in the sixth. Emma Carruth (Torrance, CA/Beverly Hills) would go one to pinch-run for Ryan, and score in the inning off a Labs double. Â
Merrimack's lone run was scored in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Hannah Johnson.
Up Next
The Setters will be seeking some revenge on the 24th-ranked Hawks, who took both games from Pace earlier this season in Pleasantville.
