Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. – Kaitlynn Nelson tossed a three-hitter in the opener and Surina Sandhu scored three times in the nightcap to lead Pace University to a sweep of the Le Moyne College softball team in a Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division doubleheader on Friday afternoon at Pace Field. The Setters won the opener, 5-0, and took the nightcap, 5-4.
The Setters scored the only runs they would need in the third inning on two hits. Shortstop Ashley Lew reached on a bunt single to third base with one out and came around to score on a triple to right field by center fielder Larissa Labs. Two batters later, Sandhu drove in Labs with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Pace doubled its lead in the fourth on two hits. Left fielder Tara Bernstein was hit by a pitch with one out and moved to third on a single with two outs by right fielder Jordan Chillinsky. Lew then singled to right field to plate Bernstein and Chillinsky.
The Setters added a run on one hit in the fifth. Labs led off with a triple to right field and raced home a sacrifice fly to right field by second baseman Haley Hernandez.
Senior righty
Toni Secreti (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Westhill/Herkimer C.C.) took the loss after allowing five runs and seven hits over four and two-thirds innings, while striking out two. Nelson struck out nine in the three-hit, complete-game performance.
The Dolphins opened the scoring in the nightcap by plating one run on one hit in the first inning. Junior shortstop
Courtney Case (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, took second on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on a two-out single to left field by junior third baseman
Kelly Mascari (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill/Buffalo).
Pace took the lead in the bottom of the first with two runs on two hits. After Labs led off with a double to left field, Sandhu blasted a one-out, two-run home run to center field.
Le Moyne evened the score at two apiece in the third inning with one run on two hits. Case was hit by a pitch again to start the frame and advanced to third on a two-out single to left field by Mascari. Freshman designated player
Madison DeRita (Higganum, Conn./Mercy) followed with a single to left to drive in Case.
The Dolphins took the lead again in the fifth with one run on two hits. Senior left fielder
Allison Reynolds (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) drew a walk with one out, moved to second on a single to center by senior right fielder
Kirsten Trotta (Wilmington, Del./Alexis I. Dupont) and then scored on a single to center by Mascari.
The Setters regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth with two runs on two hits. Hernandez led off with a single to center and then Sandhu was intentionally walked. After a sacrifice bunt and a pop out, pinch-hitter Lindsey Ah Soon doubled to center to knock in Hernandez and Sandhu.
Le Moyne tied the score for the final time with one run on two hits in the sixth inning. Senior first baseman
Cara Cawley (Endwell, N.Y./Maine-Endwell) led off with a doubled to left field and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. After a fly out, Case singled to left field to drive in Cawley.
Pace walked off in the bottom of the seventh with one run on two hits. Sandhu singled to center to open the inning, took second on a wild pitch and then moved to third on a groundout. First baseman Annie Carberry then singled down the right field line to plate Sandhu with the winning run.
Sophomore righty
Alexis Eastman (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott) took the loss after giving up five runs and eight hits over six and one-third innings, while striking out five. Mascari finished the contest with three of Le Moyne's nine hits. Jaclyn Flores earned the win in relief for the Setters after tossing the final two and two-thirds innings, while allowing one run and three hits.
Le Moyne (15-10, 3-4 NE-10, 2-3 SW), which has dropped four of its last five games, completes the three-game series with the Setters on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.
