PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Pace University Softball closed out the regular season in impressive fashion on Saturday, completing a four-game sweep of Bentley University with a 1-0 victory in game one and a 6-2 win in game two at home. The Setters finish the regular season at 27-25 overall and carry a five-game win streak into postseason play, officially clinching a berth in the Northeast 10 Conference (NE10) Championship.
Saturday also served as Senior Day for the Blue and Gold, as Pace honored its graduating class before delivering a complete performance on both sides of the ball to wrap up the regular season.
Game One
Pace relied on dominant pitching and early execution to secure a tightly contested opener.
The Setters manufactured the game's only run in the first inning.
Kara King led off with a single, moved into scoring position, and came around to score on an RBI single from
Willa Poplawski to give Pace a 1-0 advantage.
From there,
Priscilla Del Toro took control. Del Toro delivered one of her strongest outings of the season, tossing a complete-game shutout while allowing just one hit across seven innings. She worked efficiently throughout, limiting traffic on the bases and keeping Bentley off balance to preserve the one-run lead.
Despite recording just two hits, the Setters executed in key moments to hold off Bentley and take the opener.
Game Two
Pace carried that momentum into the second game and used a decisive early stretch to secure the sweep.
The Setters struck first once again, plating a run in the opening inning before adding another in the second to build a 2-0 lead. The game broke open in the third, when Pace capitalized on opportunities and pushed across four runs to extend the advantage to 6-0.
The offense was balanced throughout the lineup.
Ashley Field led the way with two hits and two RBIs, while
Riley Jenkins turned in a standout performance with three hits and an RBI.
Faith Scally drove in two runs, and the Setters totaled nine hits while consistently applying pressure offensively.
In the circle,
Nikki Chandler set the tone early, tossing five strong innings while allowing just three hits and striking out five to earn the win.
Alyssa Smart handled the final two innings in relief to close out the 6-2 victory.
King capped an outstanding freshman campaign with another strong performance at the plate, setting a new program record for single-season hits by a freshman. King surpassed the previous mark of 56, set in 2002 by Tess Bair, further establishing herself as one of the top hitters in the lineup.
With the sweep, the Blue and Gold not only extend their win streak to five games but also secure their place in the NE10 postseason tournament, carrying momentum into the next phase of the season.
The Setters will represent the conference as the #5 seed and will clash with #4 Assumption University on the road Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
