NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Pace University softball team fell in both ends of its doubleheader Wednesday, April 19, as the Setters dropped 7-4 and 3-1 decisions to the University of New Haven on the road.
Game One: New Haven 7, Pace 4
The Chargers (14-25, 10-8 NE10) jumped in front early, getting back-to-back doubles to start the bottom of the first to go in front.
The Pace (21-17, 11-7 NE10) bats struggled to start the day, as New Haven's Selena Aponte allowed just one hit over the first three innings.
The home team added one in the bottom of the third, getting a run across on a wild pitch. But the Setters drew even in the fourth, finally breaking through on the offensive end. After a leadoff walk, sophomore first baseman Brianna Shea (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino) doubled to left center, driving in the first run of the day for Pace. Freshman Haley Rusbuldt (Lakewood, Wash./Lakes) then brought in Shea with an RBI single to right center, tying the game at two.
The visitors took the lead in the top of the fifth, getting a one-out single by freshman shortstop Kaylee Matsuda (Kaneohe, Hawaii/Iolani School), who came in to score on an error with two out. The Chargers tied it at 3-3 in the last of the fifth, getting a two-out RBI single from Halle Frederick.
Rusbuldt got the Setters started in the sixth with a double, and senior outfielder Gwen Pederson (Sylmar, Calif./Granada Hills Charter) gave Pace the lead back with a run-scoring single to left center to put the visitors ahead 4-3. But New Haven broke through for four runs in the home half of the sixth, tying the game on an RBI single by Aponte. Olivia Roberto and Maeve Lougheed then picked up consecutive RBI hits, with another run coming in on an error as the Chargers took a 7-4 lead. The Setters couldn't match in the seventh, falling by a 7-4 final.
Game Two: New Haven 3, Pace 1
Three consecutive hits in the bottom of the first gave the Chargers the lead, as Frederick drove in a run with a one-out double down the right field line to put New Haven in front.
Mia Iodice was strong early for the Chargers, surrendering just two hits over the first four innings. The home team added to its lead in the bottom of the third, as Frederick picked up her second RBI double of the game to extend the lead to two.
The Setters got one across in the fifth, as Rusbuldt led the inning off with a single and came in to score following a pair of New Haven errors. Pace had a chance to draw even in the inning, getting runners to second and third with one out. But a lineout and a pair of flyouts ended the scoring threat as the Setters left two stranded.
The Chargers picked up one more in the bottom of the fifth, as Meg Anderson drove in a run with a two-out RBI single to make it a 3-1 game.
Pace had another chance to put runs on the board in the sixth, again putting two runners in scoring position. But they came up empty once more, as Iodice set down the next two batters.
The Setters got the tying runs on base with two out in the ninth but were turned aside once more as New Haven held on for a 3-1 victory.
Up Next
The Setters are right back at it Thursday, April 20, when they play a doubleheader at the University of Bridgeport. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
