PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University softball team won its third and fourth straight games Friday, April 28, defeating the College of Saint Rose 6-0 in game one, then winning game two 9-4.
Game One: Pace 6, Saint Rose 0
Prior to the start of the game, the Setters celebrated their three graduating seniors, as outfielder Gwen Pederson (Sylmar, Calif./Granada Hills Charter), catcher Carolina Iturriaga (North Hills, Calif./Grover Cleveland) and outfielder Arianna Guarracino (Middletown, N.Y./Minisink Valley) were all honored before first pitch.
The Setters (26-22, 14-9 NE10) took the lead right away in the bottom of the first, as sophomore outfielder Alexa Borino (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) led off the inning with a solo home run to left center, giving Pace a 1-0 lead.
Sophomore pitcher Gisselle Garcia (Lemon Grove, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic) picked up where she left off after yesterday's two-hit performance, striking out the side in the top of the second.
After a 1-2-3 third for Garcia, Pace added another run in the home half. With two out and a runner on second, Pederson drove an RBI double to left-center to put the Setters ahead by two.
Pace kept up the offense in the third, adding two more runs to take a 4-0 lead. Sophomore infielder Brianna Shea (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino) got things started with an RBI double down the left field line, and she then came in to score on an RBI groundout from junior Alexandra Tejeda (Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Bar) as the Setters extended their lead.
After the Golden Knights (12-30, 4-19) couldn't get one across on Garcia in the fifth, the home team added another pair in the bottom of the inning. The first run came across on a Saint Rose error, and then with two out, junior Sammi Swenson (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East) connected on a run-scoring double that landed at the base of the fence, giving the Setters a 6-0 lead.
Neither team added a run in the sixth, and Garcia finished it off in the seventh as Pace took a 6-0 victory in game one.
Game Two: Pace 9, Saint Rose 4
The pitchers were in control early in game two, as junior Anna Acevedo (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fontbonne Hall Academy) and Saint Rose's Jenna Plue didn't allow anything in the first. After Acevedo struck out the side in the second, the Setters got the first run of the game in the home half of the inning.
With two out and nobody on, a walk and single put runners on first and second. A Saint Rose error allowed the run to score, as junior catcher Jenny Gordon (Colonia, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial) came in to put Pace ahead 1-0.
After a 1-2-3 top of the third, the Setters added three more runs in the bottom of the inning. A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out, and an RBI groundout by freshman Haley Rusbuldt (Lakewood, Wash./Lakes) brought in a run to make it 2-0. Shea then hit a sacrifice fly, and a two-out RBI single by Gordon extended the lead to four.
The Golden Knights got a pair across in the top of the fourth, making it a 4-2 score to get back in the game. With runners on second and third with one out, an RBI single by Julia Rupinski got Saint Rose on the board. Then with two out and runners on first and third, a delayed steal brought in the second run. The visitors went on to load the bases with a chance to tie the game, but Acevedo was able to get a groundout to end the inning and keep it a two-run game.
The Setters got runners to second and third with one out in the bottom of the fourth, and a walk loaded the bases. Freshman Willa Poplawski (San Clemente, Calif./JSerra Catholic) then delivered a two-run single, bringing in two more to give Pace a 6-2 lead.
The Setters then drew four consecutive walks, forcing in three more runs to extend the lead to seven runs. With the bases still loaded with one out, a pair of groundouts ended the inning as Pace took a 9-2 lead into the fifth.
A single and walk put the first two runners on base to start the fifth, and Anna Cleary connected on a two-run double to cut the Pace lead to five runs at 9-4. With runners on second and third with one out, Garcia came on in relief of Acevedo. After an infield single loaded the bases, Garcia picked up two key strikeouts to leave the bases loaded and limit Saint Rose to two runs.
After Garcia set the Golden Knights down in order in the sixth, the Setters loaded the bases with two out in the home half. But a flyout ended the inning, sending the game to the seventh with Pace still holding a 9-4 lead.
Saint Rose got a baserunner in the seventh but couldn't get any more on Garcia as finished it off for Pace's fourth straight win.
Up Next
The Setters now advance to the NE10 Conference Championships, with their opponent and location still TBD.
