MANCHESTER, N.H. – Senior Hannah Byrne (Lynn, Mass.) sent a solo shot over the centerfield fence in the top of the sixth, but Pace University scored the game-winner in the bottom half of the inning en route to a 3-2 victory over the Saint Anselm College softball team in the Northeast-10 Softball Second Round Thursday afternoon at Southern New Hampshire's Penmen Field.
Saint Anselm falls to 22-12 overall on the season, while Pace improves to 25-14 on the year. The Hawks, who were ranked No. 7 in the most recent NCAA East Region rankings released Wednesday, must now await the conclusion of all three regional league tournaments (NE-10, East Coast and Central Atlantic Collegiate) before finding out if the NCAA will award Saint Anselm with a postseason at-large bid. Pace, meanwhile, advances to the Semifinal Round of the NE-10 tournament and will play top-seeded and No. 21-ranked Southern New Hampshire Friday afternoon.
The Hawks played from behind for much of the game as Pace jumped on the board early with a leadoff walk, followed by a laser RBI triple to left. With runners on first and third, an ensuing delayed double-steal was successfully executed by the Setters, putting Pace up 2-0 still with no outs.
Senior pitcher Tayla Trask (Lincoln, Maine) then rallied inside the circle to induce a pair of groundouts and a tough popout to junior second baseman Julie LeClair (Taunton, Mass.) behind first base, but the early damage was done.
Saint Anselm answered by cutting the lead in half in the top of the third, led off with senior Kasey Moran (Medford, Mass.) beating the throw on a perfectly placed swinging bunt. A groundout to the right side from freshman Megan Murrell (Scarborough, Maine) moved her to second before junior Michaela Criscione (Franklin, Mass.) dropped a gapper to left center to score Moran from second and put the Hawks on the board.
Trask scattered just three hits over the next four innings, but the Hawks mustered just two to their own accord. Finally, after three straight scoreless innings, Byrne took the first pitch of the sixth inning deep and over the fence in straightaway center, tying the game at 2-2. Junior Pattie Turner (Warwick, R.I.) kept the inning alive with a follow-up single up the middle, but Moran's come-backer to the pitcher ended the inning.
With the game tied, Pace's Hana Wright led off by crushing a double off the centerfield fence. The ensuing pinch hitter, Haley Hernandez, laid down a bunt that trickled toward third and Turner behind the plate had a great play to snag the runner at third. However, the throw down the line went wide as the Setters had runners on first and third with no outs. Pace's Natalie Gellos then sent a high fly an outside pitch to center, as Bickford's throw wasn't in time as the runner scored from third. A pair of putouts to third base ended the inning, but the Setters had taken back control with a one run lead.
With one last chance to force extra innings, the Hawks got a leadoff hit-by-pitch issued to Murrell, who was promptly replaced by pinch-running freshman Leah Hunt (Londonderry, N.H.). Criscione pushed a bunt to the right of the circle, but was thrown out by the pitcher to move Hunt to second. After a McLaughlin flyout to center, freshman Hannah Paitchel (Pelham, N.H.) stepped up with a driven liner up the middle, moving Hunt just 60 feet away from tying the game. Pace pitcher Kaitlynn Nelson, who came on in relief after Murrell's HBP, dialed in and sat down Bickford on four pitches to avenge last season's Second Round loss to the Hawks and advance the Setters into the NE-10 semifinals.
Trask recorded five strikeouts on the afternoon, giving up just five hits and two earned runs despite falling to 11-5 in the circle this season.
The Northeast-10 Championship tournament will continue with the semifinal rounds Thursday. Top-ranked Southern New Hampshire University will host Pace at 2 p.m., followed immediately by the Southwest's #1-seed Adelphi battling the Northeast #2 Stonehill—a 1-0 winner over Southern Connecticut State Thursday.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter @STAHawks.
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Senior Hannah Byrne (Lynn, Mass.) sent a solo shot over the centerfield fence in the sixth, but Pace University scored the game-winner in the bottom half of the inning en route to a 3-2 victory in the Northeast-10 Softball Second Round Thursday afternoon at Southern New Hampshire's Penmen Field.
Saint Anselm falls to 22-12 overall on the season, while Pace improves to 25-14 on the year. The Hawks, who were ranked No. 7 in the most recent NCAA East Region rankings released Wednesday, will now await the conclusion of all three regional league tournaments before the NCAA releases its Championship Brackets Monday. Pace, which advances to the Semifinal Round of the NE-10 Tournament, will play top-seeded and No. 19-ranked Southern New Hampshire Friday afternoon.
The Hawks played from behind for much of the game as Pace jumped on the board early with a leadoff walk, followed by a laser RBI triple to left. With runners on first and third, an ensuing delayed double-steal was successfully executed by the Setters, putting Pace up 2-0 still with no outs.
Senior pitcher Tayla Trask (Lincoln, Maine) then rallied inside the circle to induce a pair of groundouts and a tough popout to junior second baseman Julie LeClair (Taunton, Mass.) behind first base, but the early damage was done.
Saint Anselm answered by cutting the lead in half in the top of the third, led off with senior Kasey Moran (Medford, Mass.) beating the throw on a perfectly placed swinging bunt. A groundout to the right side from freshman Megan Murrell (Scarborough, Maine) moved her to second before junior Michaela Criscione (Franklin, Mass.) dropped a gapper to left center to score Moran from second and put the Hawks on the board.
Trask scattered just three hits over the next four innings, but the Hawks mustered just two to their own accord. Finally, after three straight scoreless innings, Byrne took the first pitch of the sixth inning deep and over the fence in straightaway center, tying the game at 2-2. Junior Pattie Turner (Warwick, R.I.) kept the inning alive with a follow-up single up the middle, but Moran's come-backer to the pitcher ended the inning.
With the game tied, Pace's () Wright led off by crushing a double off the centerfield fence. The ensuing batter, () Hernandez, laid down a bunt that trickled toward third and Turner behind the plate had a great play to snag the runner at third. However, the throw down the line went wide as the Setters had runners on first and third with no outs. Gellos then sent a high fly an outside pitch to center, as Bickford's throw wasn't in time as the runner scored from third. A pair of putouts to third base ended the inning, but the Setters had taken back control with a one run lead.
With one last chance to force extra innings, the Hawks got a leadoff hit-by-pitch issued to Murrell, who was promptly replaced by pinch-running freshman Leah Hunt (). Criscione pushed a bunt to the right of the circle, but was thrown out by the pitcher to move Hunt to second. After a McLaughlin flyout to center, freshman Hannah Paitchel (Pelham, N.H.) stepped up with a driven liner up the middle, moving Hunt just 60 feet away from tying the game. Pace pitcher Kaitlynn Nelson, who came on in relief after Murrell's HBP, dialed in and sat down Bickford on four pitches to avenge last season's Second Round loss to the Hawks and advance the Setters into the NE-10 semifinals.
Trask recorded five strikeouts on the afternoon, giving up just five hits and two earned runs despite falling to 11-5 in the circle this season.
The Northeast-10 Championship tournament will continue with the semifinal rounds Thursday. Top-ranked Southern New Hampshire University will host Pace at 2 p.m., followed immediately by the Southwest's #1-seed Adelphi battling the Northeast #2 Stonehill—a 1-0 winner over Southern Connecticut State Thursday.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter @STAHawks.
