RICHMOND, VA – Gisselle Garcia's perfect game in game one of Sunday's doubleheader, helped the Pace University softball team start the season off with a 2-0 record against Virginia Union University. The Setters were victorious in game one, 13-0, and captured game two, 11-2.
Game One
In game one, Gisselle Garcia dominated on the mound throwing a perfect game for the Setters, striking out 13 of the Panther's batters. Virginia Union was no match for the junior from Lemon Grove, CA as Garcia cruised through five innings facing 15 batters and retiring them all.
At the plate, Pace scored 13 runs on 12 hits in the match-up dominating the Virginia Union pitching staff. A single from Riely Jenkins began the scoring rout for the Setters in the top of the first as they grabbed a 1-0 lead, one they would not surrender the rest of the way.
After bringing home one run in the second and two in the third, Pace jumped out to a 4-0 lead. Garcia continued to dominate Virginia Unions lineup on the mound quickly retiring the side in the bottom half of the third inning.
Brianna Shea launched a grand slam over the center field wall in the fourth to extend Pace's lead to nine runs. The Setters tacked on four more runs in the final inning to secure their first win of the season, by a final score of 13-0.
Shea led the offense with four RBI's in her 2-for-4 performance while Jenkins supplied a productive day at the plate going 3-for-3 and driving in two runs.
The highlight of the day was Gisselle Garcia's perfect performance on the mound. The Setters rode the momentum from the stellar perfect game from Garcia into game two of the twin bill.
Game Two
In the second game of the doubleheader, it was more of the same for the Blue and Gold. Jenkins struck first again for Pace knocking an RBI double down the line in the first. Similar to the first game of the slate, the Setters added two runs in the second and never looked back.
After a long home run to right field from Jenny Gordon in the third Pace held a 5-1 advantage over Virginia Union. The runs continued in the next inning for the Setters, adding six more, to increase their lead to 11-1 moving into the final inning. Anna Acevedo closed the door on the Panthers in the bottom of the fifth to put the finishing touches on Pace's opening day with an 11-2 win.
Acevedo tossed five innings allowing just one earned run while striking out eight batters. Gordon went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI's, and freshman Faith Scally posted two RBI's. The Setters offense was impressive in their season opener, scoring at least one run in all but one inning of the doubleheader.
Up Next
Next in store for the Blue and Gold is a doubleheader against Virginia State University tomorrow afternoon with the first pitch of game one set for 1:00 p.m.
