Syracuse, N.Y. -- Sophomore outfielder Madison DeRita (Higganum, Conn./Mercy) recorded five hits on the day, but the Le Moyne College softball team dropped both games of a Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division doubleheader to Pace University. The Setters won the games by scores of 5-2 and 7-2 Friday afternoon at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex.
 
Le Moyne fell to 18-15 on the season, 2-8 the NE-10 and 1-7 against Southwest opponents. Pace is now 14-12 overall, 8-6 in the NE-10 and 8-2 in the division.
 
In game one, the Setters' starting hurler, junior Jaclyn Flores, tossed a complete game, letting in just two earned runs while striking out a season-high six batters.
 
Pace was the first to get on the board when a lead-off walk to Ashley Lew was eventually converted into a run by a Samantha Lima sacrifice fly. The 'Phins would, however, tie it up at the bottom of the inning.
 
A difference in the game came in the top of the third when Lima launched a homer to left with a runner on—her first of the season. The hit gave the Setters the 3-1 advantage.
 
Freshman first baseman/pitcher Peyton Bellrose (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) contributed an RBI single in the bottom of that inning.
 
The Dolphins entered the seventh with just a one-run deficit. Bellrose, who replaced junior Alexis Eastman (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott) on the mound an inning earlier, found herself in a bases-loaded jam. One out away from getting out of the inning, Bellrose fell victim to Jordan Chillinsky, who singled to center, knocking in two runs, for her third hit of the game.
 
With the 5-2 loss, Eastman was given her eighth defeat of the season, allowing three earned runs and recording four strikeouts over her five innings of work. At the plate in game one, DeRita finished 3-for-3 with a double.
 
Both teams posted crooked numbers in the first inning of game two. Pace's leadoff hitter reached base on a hit-by-pitch, but senior catcher Emily Bagley (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) gunned down the runner trying to steal second. With two outs, Pace managed to load the bases with a couple of singles up the middle and an infield single to second. Each of the runners would go on to score. Bellrose returned to the circle and would get the next batter to ground out to second for the third out.
 
The Phins loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning. Freshman catcher/designated player Ally Nicolosi (Auburn, N.Y./Auburn) began the rally with a lead-off single. She and DeRita went on to score on an RBI single from senior center fielder Sabrina Riley (Deer Park, N.Y./Deer Park) to make the score 3-2 Setters.
 
Catcher Nikole Larm became the second Setter to homer for the first time this season in the top of the third. There were two runners on when she smacked the ball over the left-center fence. The team would tack one more run the following inning. After seven, 7-2 was the final.
 
Senior Marisa DuVal (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) was given the loss allowing three earned runs in the first inning. She fell to 0-2 on the season. Nicolosi was 2-for-4 at the plate and both DeRita and Riley were 2-for-3 with a double. Freshman pitcher Emma Bernet is now 4-3 on the season after going the distance in game two, giving up just two earned runs while striking out three.
 
The Dolphins and Setters will finish up the three-game Southwest Division series tomorrow at the Niland Athletic Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.