WILMINGTON, Del. – The Pace University softball team fell short in the NCAA Tournament Friday, May 12. The Setters defeated Franklin Pierce University 6-2 in 11 innings in the first elimination game of the day, then dropped game two by a 5-1 final.

Game One: Pace 6, Franklin Pierce 2 (11 innings) 

The Setters (27-25, 15-9 NE10) had opportunities early, getting hits in each of the first three innings. However, they couldn't get a run across, keeping the game scoreless. 

Sophomore pitcher Gisselle Garcia (Lemon Grove, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic) was strong for Pace, not allowing a hit until the fifth inning. The Setters had a chance to break through in the top of the fifth, as a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with two out. But a groundout ended the scoring threat and kept the game tied at 0-0. 

Both teams got the leadoff batter on in their next turn at bat but had the next three batters retired, and Garcia came back with a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth. 

Garcia and Franklin Pierce's (32-20, 16-8 NE10) Sabrina Gonzalez kept the opposing batters at bay, sending the game to the ninth still tied. Both pitchers then set the side down in order in the ninth to send it to extra innings. 

After another pair of perfect innings in the 10th, Pace finally broke through in the 11th. Sophomore infielder Brianna Shea (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino) led off the inning with a walk, followed by a walk from junior Sammi Swenson (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East). An error loaded the bases, and a walk by freshman Raelle Gorman (Temecula, Calif./Temecula Valley) scored put across the first run of the game. 

After a fielder's choice resulted in the second out, another error put up the second run for the Setters. Senior Gwen Pederson (Sylmar, Calif./Granada Hills Charter) then broke it open, connecting on a two-run single to center to extend the lead to four. The third Raven error of the inning scored one more, and then Shea, batting for the second time in the inning, singled in Pederson to make it a 6-0 game. 

In the bottom of the 11th, an error with two out and one on kept the game alive. Bella Williams then got Franklin Pierce on the board with a two-run double to center, but Garcia was able to record the final out to close out a 6-2 victory for Pace. 

Game Two: Pace 5, Georgian Court 1

The Lions (39-20, 18-6 CACC) got on the board first, getting a run across in the bottom of the first. After a single and wild pitch led off the inning, an RBI single from Kaitlyn Stufft gave Georgian Court a 1-0 lead. 

Pace came back to tie the game in the second, getting a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases with one out. Gorman got a run in on a fielder's choice, evening the score at 1-1. 

After the Setters went down in order in the top of the third, the Lions broke it open in the bottom of the inning. Georgian Court loaded the bases following two singles and a walk, then a hit batter with two out forced in a run. Coco Dunham then stepped to the plate with the bases still loaded and cleared them with one swing, driving a three-run double to centerfield to extend GCU's lead to 5-1.

Gorman led off the fifth with a single for the Setters as they looked to climb back into the game, but the next three batters were retired as Pace ended the inning still trailing by four. The Lions got the first two batters on in the bottom of the fifth, but the next three batters were retired as the Setters kept their deficit at four.

However, Pace couldn't get the bats going, as they were held off the scoreboard in the sixth and seventh as Georgian Court took a 5-1 victory.