PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The top-seeded Pace University softball team moved one step closer to a Super Regional berth on Saturday morning, posting a 6–2 win over fifth-seeded Saint Thomas Aquinas College (STAC) in the 2025 NCAA East Regional. With another victory in the books, the Setters advance to the East Regional Final and improve to 43–10 on the season.

Here's What Happened

• STAC struck first in the opening frame. After a single and a stolen base, the Spartans drove in the game's first run with an RBI single up the middle. However, Gisselle Garcia responded with a strikeout to end the threat, foreshadowing a dominant performance to come.
• After being held scoreless through the first two innings, the Setters broke through in the third. Alexa Borino was hit by a pitch, and Kaylee Matsuda followed with a single to left. Riley Jenkins then stepped up and roped an RBI double down the right-field line to tie the game. That was followed by a momentum-shifting two-run double off the bat of outfielder Willa Poplawski, giving Pace a 3–1 lead. Garcia then continued to control the game from the circle, retiring the Spartans in order in the fourth inning.
• In the fifth, Pace padded its lead with another three-run burst. Jenkins led off with her second double of the day and was lifted for pinch-runner Madison Picerno. Poplawski flied out, but Raelle Gorman followed with an infield single to put runners on the corners. Gorman then stole second to set up a two-run single by junior Brianna Shea, who lined a base hit into center field to extend the lead to 5–1.
• Jade Alvarado kept the momentum going with a single to right, and an error allowed her to take second as Shea moved to third. Sophie Valle then delivered an RBI single to right to make it 6–1. She was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double, but the damage had been done.
• The Spartans got one run back in the sixth, taking advantage of an error at first base to set up a groundout RBI. However, Garcia recovered quickly, ending the inning with her 10th strikeout of the day.
• In the seventh, Alyssa Smart came on in relief and worked a clean inning to lock up the victory. The final out came on a grounder to third, securing Pace's place in the East Regional One Third Round and Finale.

Box Score Insights

• Garcia delivered another standout performance in the circle for the Setters, tossing six dominant innings, her 26^th total win. The senior right-hander allowed just two hits and one earned run while striking out 10 batters and issuing only two walks. Garcia faced just four batters over the minimum and retired 10 of the last 12 hitters she saw.
• Offensively, Jenkins led the way with a 2-for-4 day, including two doubles and an RBI.
• Poplawski and Shea each tallied two RBIs, while Gorman, Matsuda, Alvarado, and Valle all added hits.

Up Next (Bentley University, NCAA East Regional One Third Round)
The Setters will return to action on Sunday morning in the NCAA East Regional One Final, needing one more win to punch their ticket to the Super Regionals for the second time in program history. The Blue and Gold match-up against a familiar foe, with the Falcons of Bentley University, as the first pitch is set for 10:00 a.m.