MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College softball team pulled out two thrilling victories on Sunday against Pace University, winning game one by an 8-5 margin in walk-off fashion before locking down a narrow 8-7 result in game two.
Saint Anselm picks up its first doubleheader sweep of the season, improving to 9-10 overall and evening its record in Northeast-10 Conference games at 2-2. Pace falls to 5-7 after the two defeats, dipping to 0-4 versus the league.
Pace led by a 3-0 score through the first five-plus innings of game one before Saint Anselm flipped the script with eight runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Senior Bre Klaiber (Ironton, Ohio) had a bases-clearing double as well as a walk-off three-run home run, giving her six runs batted in.
Saint Anselm trailed Pace by a 4-0 margin with just one out recorded in the top of the first and came all the way back to win, scoring six runs in the fifth and sixth innings combined to capture a lead it would not relinquish.
Klaiber finished the day with seven runs batted in. Her six RBI against the Setters in game one is the most in one game for a Saint Anselm student-athlete since Amy Parece '00 pushed home six runs against Marycrest International on Mar. 9, 1999.
Sophomore Haile Hicks (Jefferson, N.H.) earned two pitching victories for Saint Anselm in the circle on the day – she is the first Hawks pitcher to have two wins in one doubleheader since Paige Cormier '15 opened her career with two wins on Feb. 27, 2012 against Davenport and Gannon.
All of the next four games for Saint Anselm will be played on the road. The Hawks head to Le Moyne on Saturday, Apr. 2 before taking on Saint Rose the next day – the Hawks will be at home for the following eight games against Bentley, Southern New Hampshire, Saint Michael's and Stonehill.
GAME ONE – Saint Anselm 8, Pace 5
Pace grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning as Brittany Walkingstick hit a deep home run to the opposite field to start the stanza. An RBI single by the Setters in the next inning created a two-run bulge and an RBI double by Carolina Iturriaga created a 3-0 advantage through five-and-a-half innings.
Junior Kate Irwin (Milford, Mass.) led off the bottom of the sixth with a bunt single and was followed by back-to-back singles up the middle by freshman Ava Caputo (Waterford, N.Y.) and junior Kylie Fitzpatrick (Danville, N.H.). With the bases loaded, senior Bailey Cain (Wellington, Fla.) was hit by a pitch to score the first run of the day for Saint Anselm.
Down 3-1, a booming double by Klaiber cleared the bases to propel the Hawks into the lead. Pinch runner Audrey Arsenault (Stow, Mass.) came around to score later in the frame on a wild pitch as Saint Anselm ended up batting around the order.
In what was a save opportunity for junior Ava Vincequere (Shrewsbury, Mass.), the leadoff batter walked before an RBI triple made it a 5-4 game. Alexa Borino, who stroked the triple, came around to score the game-tying run on a wild pitch. After a walk, a fly-out and another single, Hicks came on in relief and induced a fielder's choice groundout and a punch out to end the inning.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Fitzpatrick doubled to left-center field to place a runner on for Cain. Looking at four straight balls, she set the stage for Klaiber's dramatic walk-off home run, a fly ball to center field that caught the wind right over the fence.
Gisselle Garcia drew the loss for Pace, throwing six-and-one-third innings and allowing seven earned runs while striking out four. Hicks threw six innings, allowing eight hits and five strikeouts to open and close the game.
Vincequere gave up two earned runs in one inning of work before Hicks came back into the contest in the seventh inning.
GAME TWO – Saint Anselm 8, Pace 7
Five of the first six batters of game two reached safely for Pace in the top of the first inning as the only out was a sacrifice bunt. The Setters were able to send 10 up to bat, scoring four runs, but left three on base in what could have turned into an even bigger inning.
With two out in the bottom of the first, the Hawks got one of those runs back on an RBI single from sophomore Gracie O'Hara (Shrewsbury, Mass.) – Fitzpatrick came around to score after working a one-out, seven-pitch walk and moving to second on a walk by Klaiber.
Klaiber drove in her seventh run of the afternoon with an RBI triple to right that landed just inside the foul line, scoring Cain all the way from first base after a four-pitch walk with two outs to cut the Pace lea to 4-2 in the bottom of the third.
Pace scratched across two more runs in the top of the fourth, creating a 6-2 lead after an RBI single and an error in the outfield for Saint Anselm allowed two more runs to cross the plate. At this point, Hicks came on in relief and pitched the rest of the game for the Hawks.
The Setters appeared to be cruising down the stretch, retiring the first two batters in the top of the fifth inning on a total of three pitches. Cain and Klaiber produced quality at-bats that yielded two walks, setting the stage for an O'Hara double to center field that scored the third run for Saint Anselm.
Junior Meghan Gibbons (Litchfield, N.H.) picked up the third walk for Saint Anselm of the inning, loading the bases for sophomore Brianna Belisle (South Burlington, Vt.). On the first pitch, Belisle went to the opposite field by hitting the ball over the left fielder's head to clear the bases – the inning ended as Belisle attempted to make it to third base, but was tagged out on a relay with four Setters involved.
More two-out damage for Saint Anselm broke a 6-6 tie in the bottom of the sixth. Caputo produced a single through the left side of the infield before Arsenault tripled to right field, sending the speedy freshman home from first base. Cain then smacked an RBI single of her own, upping the Hawks lead to 8-6.
Pace pounded four hits in the top of the seventh, scoring one run, but the Hawks were able to hold on to the narrow victory. The Setters were inches away from clearing the bases on a double down the line, but the ball went foul as it approached the third base bag.
Mackenzie Garrick drew the loss for Pace, giving up four hits and two earned runs in one-and-a-third innings of work. Hicks earned her second win of the day, moving to 9-2 on the season with three-and-two-thirds innings of relief with one earned run.
Neither starting pitcher earned a decision with Pace's Anna Acevedo walking seven batters and giving up six earned runs before Garrick's relief appearance. Freshman Sophia DiPippo (Cranston, R.I.) allowed eight hits and five earned runs in three-and-a-third innings.
