PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University softball team competed in its home opener Thursday, March 23 against Georgian Court University, dropping game one by a 1-0 score, then picking up an 11-6 victory in game two.

Game One: Georgian Court 1, Pace 0
Sophomore pitcher Gisselle Garcia (Lemon Grove, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic) got the start for Pace (5-9), getting off to a strong start and not allowing a baserunner through the first two innings or a hit through the first five. The Setters were able to get runners in scoring position in each of the first two innings but couldn't break through on the scoreboard.

Garcia worked around a walk in the third, and Pace got the first two runners on in the bottom of the inning. A sacrifice bunt put them on second and third with one out, but a strikeout followed. Then sophomore first baseman Brianna Shea (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino) just missed a home run, hitting one deep to left that made it to the edge of the fence but fell short, sending the game to the fourth still scoreless.

With two out and a runner on first, the Lions (14-10) threatened to put a run across, but a diving catch by sophomore right fielder Alexa Borino (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) kept the game at 0-0 going to the home half of the fourth.

Neither team got on the board in their next turn at bat, and the Setters were turned aside in the fifth as well. Leading off the top of the sixth, Jadalynn Rodriguez provided the first run of the day, hitting one over the left-centerfield fence to make it a 1-0 game and picking up the first hit of the day for Georgian Court.

In the bottom of the sixth, back-to-back two-out hits had the Setters in business, but a strikeout ended the inning and left the runners stranded.

Garcia got through the seventh to keep it at 1-0, giving Pace one last chance to tie the game.

The Setters had a pair of one-out walks in the bottom of the seventh, but a strikeout-throw out double play ended the game for a 1-0 Georgian Court victory.

Garcia went the distance for Pace, pitching seven innings and allowing one run on three hits with nine strikeouts.

Game Two: Pace 11, Georgian Court 6
Junior Anna Acevedo (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fontbonne Hall Academy) got the ball in game two for Pace and got off to a quick start, retiring the side on four pitches in the first.

The Setters got on the board in the bottom of the inning, as senior outfielder Gwen Pederson (Sylmar, Calif./Granada Hills Charter) lined an RBI double to left center, scoring freshman second baseman Sophie Valle (Chino, Calif./Walnut) to put the home team in front.

A pair of walks loaded the bases with one out, and freshman Haley Rusbuldt (Lakewood, Wash./Lakes) cleared them with one swing, crushing a grand slam over the left field fence to make it a 5-0 game after one.

The Lions were able to get one back in the top of the second, as Brittany Gable hit a two-out RBI triple to right-center, narrowing the Pace lead to four runs.

Georgian Court got runners to first and second with nobody out in the top of the third, and back-to-back RBI singles brought it to a 5-3 score with one out. A sac fly brought in the third run of the inning, cutting it to a one-run game.

Neither team got on the board in their next turn at bat, and the Setters got a runner to third with two out in the fourth. But the Lions were able to get the next out, keeping the score 5-4 in favor of the home team.

With one out in the top of the fifth, back-to-back errors by Pace allowed the tying run to score. An RBI double down the left field line by Savannah Simmons put Georgian Court ahead 6-5 heading to the bottom of the fifth.

Then with two out in the home half, Rusbuldt continued her hot hitting, connecting on an RBI single to right, tying the game at six.

With two out and nobody on, three straight Lions reached base, as the visitors threatened to take the lead. But Acevedo got a groundout to end the inning, sending it to the bottom of the sixth still tied.

A single and an error put runners on second and third for Pace in the sixth, and with one out, freshman shortstop Kaylee Matsuda (Kaneohe, Hawaii/Iolani School) singled to center, brining in the go-ahead run. With the bases loaded and still one out, a hit by pitch forced in the second run of the inning, then junior third baseman Alexandra Tejada delivered the big blow, hitting a bases-clearing double to left-center.

Following the hit, the game was called due to darkness, as the Setters took the victory by an 11-6 score and split the doubleheader with the Lions.

In game two, freshman Sophie Valle (Chino, Calif./Walnut) had three hits and an RBI, while Rusbuldt had three hits and drove in five. Tejada had a pair of hits and three RBI, and Pederson had one hit and an RBI.

Up Next
The Setters are back at it tomorrow afternoon, when they kick off NE10 play with a home doubleheader against Southern New Hampshire University, with game one starting at 2 p.m.