MANCHESTER, N.H. – Pace University Softball battled through another tightly contested Northeast 10 Conference (NE10) doubleheader on Saturday, using a late seventh-inning rally in game two (4-1) to salvage a split against Saint Anselm College after falling 2-1 in the opener. The Setters now move to 22-24 overall and 12-18 in NE10 play, claiming their fifth win in the last six games.
Game One
Pace struck first in the opening inning when
Willa Poplawski doubled into the gap and
Riley Jenkins followed with an RBI single to put the Blue and Gold ahead 1-0.
The Setters carried that lead into the fifth behind a strong outing from
Priscilla Del Toro, but Saint Anselm used a solo home run and an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning to move in front, 2-1.
Pace threatened late, getting a lead-off single from
Nikki Chong in the seventh and moving the tying run into scoring position, but the Hawks held on.
Jenkins and
Madison Picerno each collected hits in the opener, while Del Toro allowed two runs over five innings in the circle before
Alyssa Smart tossed a scoreless sixth in relief.
Game Two
The Setters answered in the second game with timely hitting and strong relief pitching. Pace grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first when
Kaylee Matsuda doubled and later scored on an RBI single from Picerno.
Saint Anselm evened the game in the fourth, and the score remained tied until the seventh when Pace broke through. Matsuda opened the inning with a single and came around to score on an RBI double from Poplawski to put the Setters back in front.
After a Jenkins single and stolen base from pinch runner
Priscilla Del Toro,
Addison Martinez delivered the big blow with a two-run double to left center, extending the lead to 4-1.
Alyssa Smart closed the door in relief, allowing just one hit across 2.2 scoreless innings to earn the win after
Nikki Chandler kept Pace in the game through the first 4.1 innings.
Matsuda finished with two hits and two runs scored, while Picerno collected three hits. Edmond added three hits of her own, and Martinez drove in two in the decisive seventh-inning rally.
The Setters continue their four-game NE10 series at Saint Anselm on Sunday with a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.
