PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Celebrating Senior Day in Pleasantville, N.Y., No. 17 Pace Softball earned the sweep over Saint Anselm College following an exciting day on the diamond. In game one, the Blue and Gold came away with a 4-0 win before a nine-inning battle in game two, which ended in a 3-2 victory.
With back-to-back victories on Friday, the Setters have reached new heights, winning their 35
th game of the 2025 campaign, surpassing the previous program record of 33 single season wins.
Securing another sweep, Pace now sits at 35-9 overall, remaining a perfect 18-0 in the Northeast-10 (NE10) Conference as only two games are left in the regular season.
Game One
- In game one, the Setters found early success at the plate, driving in the first run of the afternoon in the second inning. Behind a Katerina Luna single up through the ride side of the infield, the Setters jumped ahead 1-0 before the third.
- The Hawks' lineup had no answer for NFCA DII Pitcher of the Week, Gisselle Garcia, as she racked up five strikeouts in three innings to keep the momentum on Pace's side.
- In the bottom half of the third, the Setters posted three runs, led by RBIs from Willa Poplawski, Jade Alvarado, and Sophie Valle. With a 4-0 advantage, the Setters had everything they needed to cruise the rest of the way as Garcia commanded Saint Anselm in the circle.
- Finishing with ten strikeouts in a row over the final four innings, Garcia earned her 20th win of the year in Pace's 4-0 win. The victory solidified the Blue and Gold's new program's best record of 34 wins in a season.
Game Two (9 innings)
- The second contest of the doubleheader presented a much closer game than the first, as both teams were at a deadlock after five innings, 2-2.
- In the top of the sixth, a double from the Hawks threatened Pace's lead in the tightly contested match-up. Following the two-base knock, Garcia returned to the circle, where she retired the next two batters on strikes to keep the game tied at two runs apiece.
- The Setters had multiple offensive opportunities snuffed in the sixth and seventh, leading to free softball between Pace and Saint Anselm.
- Garcia picked up where she left off in game one and struck out three batters in the top of the eighth inning to bring the Setters bats back up to the dish with a chance to win the game. However, despite a one-out walk, the Blue and Gold remained at two runs, pushing the 2-2 tie into the ninth inning.
- With another 1-2-3 inning from Garcia, the Setters had another chance to seal their 35th win of the season in the bottom of the ninth. Kick-started by back-to-back singles from Kaylee Matsuda and Riley Jenkins, Pace had a golden opportunity to sneak in a run.
- With two outs and their backs against the wall, Raelle Gorman delivered in a big way, lining a single up the middle for a walk-off 3-2 victory for the Setters. After the nine-inning clash, Pace prevailed over Saint Anselm to tally their record-setting 35th win of the year.
Box Score Insights
- Garcia was on another planet during her senior day, totaling two wins, 24 strikeouts, and one hit allowed throughout 10.2 innings pitched. In both games combined, the Lemon Grove, CA. native struck out 13 consecutive batters at one point as she continues to dominate in 2025.
- Several Setters had strong days at the plate, but senior Brianna Shea led the way with four hits and a team-high three runs scored.
- Behind Shea, three other Setters recorded three hits in the twin-bill with Alexa Borino (3-for-9, 1 run), Matsuda (3-for-7, 2 runs), and Jenkins (3-for-6, 1 RBI).
- Overall, No. 17 Pace softball celebrated Senior Day successfully with a doubleheader sweep over their in-conference opponent as the postseason sits just around the corner.
Up Next (Southern New Hampshire University)
The Setters conclude their regular season on Sunday afternoon, with a twin-bill meeting against the Penmen of Southern New Hampshire University. Looking to wrap up their 2025 campaign on a positive note, the first pitch of game one will be tossed at 11:00 a.m. from the Pace Softball Field.
