SETTERS SWEEP SAINT MICHAEL'S
BRIARCLIFF, NY - The Pace University softball swept a
Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader from Saint Michael's
College. The Setters scored in their last at-bats in the
first game to give them a 2-1 win, while also winning the second
game, 6-1. Pace improves to 7-7 overall and 3-1 in the
NE-10. St. Michael's drops to 5-11 overall and 1-3 in
conference play.
In the first game, Pace jumped on the board first in the
2nd inning. Michelle Brigham (Unionville,
NY/ Minisink Valley) led off the inning with a single to
left field. Sheila Mercado (Greeley, CO./Greeley
West) then tripled to left field, scoring Brigham to put
Pace on top, 1-0.
In the top of the 3rd, Elizabeth Pigeon (St. Albans, VT/
BFA-St. Albans) walked to lead off the inning. After Pace starter
Julia Hunt (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) retired the next
two batters, Meagan Newland (East Burke, VT/Lyndon Institute)
doubled, driving Pigeon home and tying the game at 1-1.
In the bottom of the 7th, Hunt helped her own cause with
a double down the left field line. Jessica Bryant
(Brownstown, IN/Brownstown) then beat out the throw on a
bunt. In an attempt to put-out Hunt, who was attempting to
advance to third, the throw from the first baseman was high,
sailing into dead ball territory and awarding Hunt home plate and
the winning run.
Hunt scattered nine hits over seven innings while striking out five
and giving up one earned run. At the plate she was
2-for-3. For St. Michaels' Newland and Katy Newland
(East Burke, VT/Lyndon Institute) each collected two hits, as did
Ashley Harkins (Colchester, VT/Colchester).
In the second game, St. Michael's once again scored the game's
first run. In the top of the 3rd, Pigeon reached
base after being hit by a pitch by Pace freshman Kiryl
Shada (Pleasant Prairie, WI/Tremper). Pigeon then
moved to second on a wild pitch from Shada and scored on a double
from Kaitlin McCarthy (Rutland, VT/Mt. St. Joseph).
Pace would tie the game in the 4th when
Christina Pane (Stony Point, NY/Cardinal Spellman)
led of witih a single. After Pane was sacrificed over to
second on a bunt by D.J. Ketchel (Staten Island, NY/Moore
Catholic), she then stole third base. After the
third baseman misplayed the ball, Pane crossed the plate with the
tying run.
In the 5th, Mercado led off with a single to center
field and then moved to second a failed pickoff attempt.
Freshman Tricia Alluto (Matawan, NJ/Matawan
Regional) then reached on an error and moved to second
while Jenna Hutchison (Lodi, NJ/Lodi), running for
Mercado, moved to third. Freshman Patti Hurley
(Assonet, MA/Apponequet) then singled to centerfield,
scoring Hutchison and Alluto. Hurley then stole third and
Carolyn Krause's (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville)
ground ball to third base scored Hurley to give Pace a 4-1
lead.
In the 6th, Brigham reached on an error by the Purple
Knights shortstop. Missy Dubey (Middlefield, CT/
Coginchaug Regional) reached on a fielder's choice. On the
play, the ball was overthrown, allowing Brigham to move to third
and Dubey to second. Brigham would scored on another error by
the shortstop and Dubey would bring home the 6th run on
a wild pitch.
For Pace, Shada picked up her first collegiate victory to improve
to 1-1 after allowing one run on four hits over six innings.
Kelly Kinyon (Levittown, PA/Truman) pitched the
7th, striking out two of the three batters faced.
Mercado was 2-for-3 in the game while Hurley drove in three
runs.
For St. Michael's, McCarthy drove in Pigeon with the Purple
Knights' only run of the game. On the mound, Megan O'Connor
(Georgetown, MA/Georgetown) took the loss to drop to 3-5 on the
season. O'Connor allowed six runs - two earned - on four hits
over six innings.
Pace returns to action when they travel to Orangeburg, NY to take
on Dominican College on Tuesday April 5th in a
non-conference doubleheader slated for a 3:00 start.