On Saturday, Pace University Softball opened a four-game Northeast 10 Conference (NE10) series against nationally ranked No. 21 Franklin Pierce University with a split on the road. The Setters earned an 8-5 victory in the opener before falling 5-0 in game two, moving to 14-18 overall and 6-12 in NE10 play.
Game One
The Blue and Gold wasted no time setting the tone, scoring twice in the first inning behind aggressive baserunning and timely hitting.
Willa Poplawski drove in a run with a double before
Madison Picerno helped manufacture another, giving the Setters an early 2-0 lead.
Pace added to the advantage in the second, as
Nikki Chong delivered an RBI double to push the lead to 3-0. Franklin Pierce answered with three runs in the third to even the score, but the Setters quickly responded to regain control.
Chong delivered again in the fourth, ripping a two-run double to give Pace a 5-3 lead. The Setters continued to apply pressure in the fifth, capitalizing on a wild pitch and an RBI single from Chong to extend the advantage to 7-3.
Franklin Pierce cut the deficit to 7-5 in the fifth, but Pace held firm down the stretch. The Setters added an insurance run in the seventh, while
Priscilla Del Toro controlled the game in relief, allowing just one earned run over 4.2 innings to secure the win.
Chong led the offense with three hits and four RBIs, while Poplawski and
Ava Edmond each recorded multi-hit performances. The Setters totaled 11 hits and consistently pressured the Ravens throughout the contest.
Game Two
The second game remained scoreless through the first three innings, as both pitching staffs controlled the early tempo. Pace generated a few opportunities but was unable to break through against Franklin Pierce starter Georgia Clough.
Franklin Pierce broke the game open in the fourth inning, scoring four runs on five hits to take control. The Ravens added another run in the sixth to extend the lead to 5-0, creating separation late in the contest.
The Setters continued to compete at the plate but were limited to four hits and could not generate a sustained rally.
Nikki Chandler tossed a complete game in the circle, but Pace was unable to recover offensively.
The Setters continue their NE10 series against No. 21 Franklin Pierce University on Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
