PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University softball team dropped a 3-2 decision to Southern New Hampshire University in the first round of the NE10 Conference Championships Tuesday, May 2 at Pace Softball Field.
Sophomore pitcher Gisselle Garcia (Lemon Grove, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic) worked around a leadoff single and error in the top of the first, the Setters (26-23, 15-9 NE10) went down in order in the home half. Garcia picked up a pair of strikeouts in the second as she set down the Penmen (20-21, 12-12 NE10) 1-2-3.
Both pitchers were strong early, as Garcia and SNHU's Gwyn Hammond allowed just one hit through the first three innings.
After a leadoff single for the Penmen in the fourth, Garcia came back to strike out the side, picking up her seventh strikeout through the first four innings.
Pace got its first hit in the bottom of the fourth, as sophomore outfielder Alexa Borino (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) singled to left to get the Setters started. Freshman second baseman Sophie Valle (Chino, Calif./Walnut) followed up with a bunt single, and a sacrifice bunt moved them to second and third with one out. But Pace was kept off the scoreboard, as a groundout turned into a double play as Borino was thrown out at the plate trying to score on the play as the game went to the fifth still scoreless.
A two-out double to left put a runner in scoring position for SNHU in the fifth, but a popup got the Setters out of the inning. Freshman Willa Poplawski (San Clemente, Calif./JSerra Catholic) led off the bottom of the fifth with a double to centerfield, chasing Hammond from the game. Sophomore shortstop Brianna Shea (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino) then stepped to the plate put the Setters in front with one swing, hitting a two-run homer down the left field line to give Pace a 2-0 lead.
Bryn Garczynski led off the top of the sixth with a triple to right center, and Alyssa DiMauro brought her in with an RBI double to left to cut Pace's lead in half. With one out, Jordyn Resetar tied the game with another run-scoring double, making it a 2-2 game. The Setters went down in order in the sixth, sending the game to the final inning still tied.
Garcia set the Penmen down in order in the top of the seventh, and the Setters got runner to second and third as they looked to walk it off. However, SNHU's Leine McKechnie was able to get the final out, sending the game to extra innings.
The Penmen took their first lead in the top of the eighth, as DiMauro got on with a one-out single. Then with two out, Jordyn Resetar doubled to deep centerfield, scoring DiMauro and giving SNHU a 3-2 lead.
The Setters went down in order in the bottom of the eight, as the Penmen held on for a 3-2 victory to advance to the second round of the NE10 Conference Championships.
