SPRINGFIELD, MA. – Pace University Softball leaned on dominant pitching performances on Wednesday, sweeping a Northeast 10 Conference (NE10) doubleheader against American International College with 6-1 and 6-3 victories on the road. The Blue and Gold received strong complete-game efforts from the starting pitchers in both contests and improved to 21-23 overall and 11-17 in NE10 play.
Game One
Pace jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in the opener.
Kara King singled, and
Ashley Field followed with a double before
Willa Poplawski drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly.
Riley Jenkins added an RBI groundout later in the inning to give the Setters a 2-0 advantage.
The Setters added to the lead in the third and fourth innings. Poplawski brought home another run with an RBI groundout before
Nikki Chong and King each delivered run-scoring hits to push the lead to 5-1.
Priscilla Del Toro controlled the game in the circle, tossing a complete game while allowing just one run on two hits and striking out six.
King finished with three hits and an RBI, while Chong and Luna each drove in runs. Field added two hits, and Scally recorded a pair of hits in the victory.
Game Two
The second game remained scoreless through four innings before Pace broke through in the fifth. Chong singled to start the rally before King followed with a base hit. An outfield error allowed Chong to score, giving the Setters a 1-0 lead.
American International answered to tie the game in the bottom half and took a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning.
Pace responded with a decisive seventh inning. Field worked a walk before Poplawski doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Matsuda entered as a pinch runner and scored the tying run on an RBI groundout from Jenkins.
The Setters continued to apply pressure as Picerno delivered an RBI single before Chong added another run-scoring hit. Carroll capped the inning with a two-run double, giving Pace a 6-2 lead.
Nikki Chandler earned the win with a complete-game effort, allowing three runs while scattering eight hits and striking out five.
Chong led the offense with two hits and two RBIs, while Carroll drove in two runs. Picerno added an RBI, and Poplawski recorded two hits in the win.
Additionally, Poplawski posted her 100th career RBI while
Kaylee Matsuda recorded her 100th career run, adding two milestone moments to the Blue and Gold's recent four-game winning streak. Poplawski becomes only the 8th player in program history to reach the mark, while Matsuda joins a group of 13 other Setters in the 100-run club.
The Setters travel to face Saint Anselm College this weekend for a four-game NE10 series beginning on Saturday at 12:00 p.m., before returning home for their final home series next weekend.
