Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Rockville Centre, N.Y. – Senior outfielder Gwen Pederson (Sylmar, Calif./Granada Hills Charter) had a huge day offensively for the Setters, hitting the first two home runs of her career as the Pace University softball team fell 4-3 in extra innings of game one, then came back with a 7-4 victory in game two of a doubleheader at Molloy University Friday, March 31.

Game One: Molloy 4, Pace 3
Pace (9-11, 3-1 NE10) jumped in front in the top of the first, when Pederson connected on a two-out solo home run to left, the first of her career, to put the Setters ahead. After back-to-back walks, an RBI single off the bat of freshman Haley Rusbuldt (Lakewood, Wash./Lakes) gave Pace a 2-0 lead to start the day.

The first two runners reached base for the Lions (17-11) in the bottom of the inning, but junior pitcher Anna Acevedo (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fontbonne Hall Academy) set down the next three batters in order, keeping it a two-run lead for Pace.

The visitors got runners to second and third in the second but couldn't get them home. After Molloy went down in order, the Setters added to their lead in the third thanks to another solo home run, this one coming from sophomore first baseman Brianna Shea (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino) to push the lead to three.

Neither team got a baserunner in their next turns at bat, but the Lions came back to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. With the bases loaded and one out, a catcher's interference call scored a run, followed by an RBI single from Emily McGurk. An RBI groundout brought in the third run of the inning, tying the game at 3-3 after four.

Neither team threatened on the offensive side again until the bottom of the sixth, when Molloy got the first three runners on to load the bases with nobody out. Acevedo then held the Lions at bay, striking out a pair and getting a flyout to work her way out of trouble with no runs allowed to keep the game tied.

In the home half of the seventh, Molloy got two runners on with one out and had a chance to push the winning run across, but a pair of flyouts ended the scoring opportunity and sent the game to extra innings.

Shea started the eighth at second base due to the extra inning rules and moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt. However, the Lions were able to throw her out at the plate on a grounder and turn the Setters aside.

The Lions started the eighth with Cheralyn Dusharme at second, and after she moved to third, a sacrifice fly from Katie Hand got the winning run across as Molloy took the opener 4-3 in extras.

Game Two: Pace 7, Molloy 4
Pace again got off to a fast start in game two, as freshman second baseman Sophie Valle (Chino, Calif./Walnut) doubled to lead off the game. She came in to score when Pederson stole second and the throw from the catcher went into centerfield, putting the Setters ahead 1-0.

A single and error got the first two runners on for Molloy in their turn at bat, and they each moved up a base on a groundout. With two out and runners on second and third, Hand came to the plate and singled them both home, giving the Lions a 2-1 lead.

Both teams got multiple runners on base in the second, but neither was able to get one home, bringing the game to the third with the home team still ahead by one.

The Lions picked up another run in the last of the third, as Alex Burns led off the inning with a solo homer to left field to put Molloy ahead 3-1.

In the fifth, a pair of singles put two runners on with one out, and Pederson brought them both in with one swing, driving her second home run of the day to left field to give Pace a 4-3 lead. The visitors added on one more in the inning, as Shea singled and later came in to score on another error by the Lions on a stolen base.

Molloy went down in order in the fifth, and the Setters were able to take advantage and tack on two more runs in the sixth. Freshman first baseman Riley Jenkins (San Diego, Calif./University City) led things off with a double, and an RBI single from freshman infielder Katerina Luna (Mckinney, Texas/Rock Hill) brought her in. Pederson then continued her big day at the plate, lining a run-scoring single to right to bring Luna home for Pace's seventh run of the game.

The Lions came right back in the bottom of the inning, however, as a hit and two errors loaded the bases with nobody out. But sophomore pitcher Gisselle Garcia (Lemon Grove, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic) was able to limit the damage to one run, as a sac fly made it a 7-4 game heading to the final inning.

The Setters looked to add even more in the seventh. Freshman outfielder Willa Poplawski (San Clemente, Calif./JSerra Catholic) doubled to start things off, and a fielder's choice and single loaded the bases with one out. But a strikeout and flyout ended the scoring threat, keeping it at a three-run lead for Pace.

Garcia was able to close things out for the Setters in the ninth, finishing off a split of the doubleheader as Pace took game two by a final of 7-4.

In game two, five Setters had a multi-hit game, and Pederson drove in four, three of which came on her home run. Luna had a pair of hits, one RBI and two runs scored, while Shea, Poplawski and Jenkins each had two hits. Garcia went all seven innings for Pace, allowing one earned run on seven hits, while walking one and striking out five.

Up Next
The Setters return to conference play Sunday, April 2, when they travel to Waltham, Mass. for a doubleheader at Bentley University. Game one is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.