RIVER HAWKS SWEEP SETTERS
BRIARCLIFF, NY - The Pace University softball team lost a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader to the UMass Lowell River Hawks, with the Hawks taking the first game, 1-0, and the second half of the twinbill, 8-3. Pace drops to 13-20-1 overall and 7-12-1 in the Northeast-10 Conference while UMass Lowell improves to 27-14 overall and 17-3 in conference play.
In the first game, Pace starter Kelly Kinyon (Levittown, PA/Truman) was the hard luck loser in her second start of the season. Kinyon held the River Hawks to four hits over seven innings while allowing one run. Her counterpart, Lowell's Kristen Mahoney (Burlington, MA) stymied the Setters, holding Pace scoreless over seven innings while allowing just five hits and striking out four.
Lowell scored the game's only run in the top of the 2nd inning when Colleen Varone (Holliston, MA) drew a one-out walk and then advanced to second on a passed ball. After Lisa Bunkartas (Plaistow, NH) also walked, Melissa Hanafin (Burlington, MA) singled to left field, scoring Varone from second base.
Pace's lone opportunity of the game to put a run on the board came in the top of the 3rd. Jessica Bryant (Brownstown, IN/Brownstown) singled to lead off, but was picked off at first on a throw down from the catcher. After Kinyon lined out, Carolyn Krause (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) singled to right center. Christina Pane (Stony Point, NY/Cardinal Spellman) then reached on a throwing error by the River Hawks' shortstop putting Krause on third and Pane in scoring position with two outs. Mahoney then got Pace clean-up hitter, DJ Ketchel (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic), to pop up to center field and end the Setter rally.
For Pace, Bryant was 2-for-3 in the game. For UMass Lowell, Vicki Guido (Winchester, MA) was 2-for-4.
In the second game, Jachael Guanci (Everett, MA) walked to lead off the 2nd inning and was then bunted over to second. Bunkartas then followed with a single, moving Guanci to third. After Hanafin struck out, Bunkartas stole second and Guanci scored on the throw to second, giving UMass Lowell a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, Krause walked with one out and was then bunted over by Pane, who reached base on a fielding error by the River Hawks' third baseman. Krause then stole third, with Pane moving to second on the play. Ketchel then hit a deep fly ball to center field, scoring Krause and tying the game at 1-1.
In the 4th, Lowell tagged Pace starter Kiryl Shada (Pleasant Prairie, WI/Tremper) for four runs. Hanafin drove in two runs on a singled, scoring Guanci and Stacey Lajoie (Gardner, MA). Guido then reached on a throwing error with two-outs by Kinyon, allowing Hanafin and Bunkartas to score two earned runs.
Pace was never able to put together a rally as UMass Lowell locked up an 8-3 decision. On the hill, Cyrilla Suker (Voorheesville, NY) picked up the win to improve to 9-11 on the year after holding Pace to two unearned runs on two hits over four innings. Guido came on to pitch the final three innings, holding Pace to one unearned run on three hits, to pick up her 3rd save of the season. At the plate, Guido drove in two runs, as did Hanafin. Laurie Tanguay (Lowell, MA), Lajoie and Brie O'Brien (Saugus, CA) each collected two hits.
For Pace, Shada took the loss to drop to 6-5 on the season after allowing five runs - three earned - on three hits over 3 2/3. Kim Troiano (Lindenhurst, NY/Lindenhurst) pitched the final 3 1/3, allowing three runs - one earned - on six hits. At the plate, Michelle Brigham (Unionville, NY/Minisink Valley) drove in one run for the Setters.
Pace returns to action when they host Saint Anselm College on
Thursday, April 27th at 3:30 p.m. at Pace Field on the
Briarcliff campus of Pace University.