Embrace the Victory: Merrimack and Pace Advance to Softball Championship Weekend

Embrace the Victory: Merrimack and Pace Advance to Softball Championship Weekend

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Warriors and Setters Advance to NE10 Softball Championship Weekend.


#3 NE Merrimack 5, #4 NE Assumption 3 - Box Score

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass.  – The Merrimack softball program scored five unanswered runs in the bottom of the sixth inning Tuesday evening, capping off an incredible comeback and moving past Assumption 5-3 in the opening round of the Northeast 10 Conference Championship. After giving up three runs in the opening two innings of the contest, the Warriors trailed until the home half of the sixth inning, where a five-run frame lifted the team over the Greyhounds and into the NE10 Quarterfinal round.

It took one big hit to bust the inning open, and sophomore Kelly Dovi stepped up – a double with the two outs and the bases loaded gave the Warriors the go-ahead run before sophomore Zoe Driscoll-Sbar added an insurance run to cap the score.

Scoring Plays:

  • Assumption scored first, putting one on the board with one out in the first. With Brooke Murphy on third and Haley Drakolokis on first, the Greyhounds executed a double steal to go up 1-0. The Greyhounds doubled its lead on an infield throwing error before the Warriors got out of the inning.
  • The Greyhounds added on another in the top of the second. With Alyssa Bialakis on third, Brooke Murphy laid down a bunt to get her across.
  • Merrimack went scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning, when the home team was able to string together five runs on five hits. With the bases loaded, freshman Jenna Wike delivered an infield single, putting the first Warrior run on the board. Then, with two outs, Dovi drove a double off the wall in left field, clearing the bases and giving Merrimack a 5-3 lead. Driscoll-Sbar singled down the right field line, scoring Dovi and sealing the win.

#4 SW Pace 4, #3 SW Le Moyne 1 - Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Led by a complete-game gem from Emma Bernet, the Pace University softball team registered a 4-1 win over Le Moyne in the NE10 Tournament First Round on Tuesday.

The Setters will now advance to Championship Weekend to be held at Saint Anselm College, beginning on Thursday afternoon. Pace is set for a matchup against second-seeded Southern New Hampshire University at approximately 2:30 p.m.

Bernet was masterful in her 16th start of the season, allowing just the one run on three hits across seven innings of work.

After Le Moyne took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Bernet yielded just a single hit over the final six innings. She finished the game with six strikeouts.

Pace's offense was produced by runs in four consecutive innings. A sacrifice fly from Emma Schafer opened Pace's scoring, tying the game at 1-1 in the second.

Lindsey Ah Soon would then register an RBI single in the third to give the Setters a 2-1 edge. Emma Carruth came around to score after leading off the inning with a single.

Pace's biggest hit of the game came in the fourth as Aby Brambila launched a solo home run for a 3-1 lead.

The Setters' final insurance run came courtesy of a Jillian Gartner single through the right side in the fifth. Senior Annie Carberry scored on the play following a lead-off single.

NE10 Softball Championship Schedule

Northeast Division

  1. Saint Anselm (19-2)
  2. Southern New Hampshire (14-7)
  3. Merrimack (13-8)
  4. Assumption (11-10)

Southwest Division

  1. Adelphi (16-2)
  2. New Haven (15-3)
  3. Le Moyne (11-7)
  4. Pace (8-10)  

Tuesday, April 30th     

First-Round­

Game 1:  #3 NE Merrimack 5, #4 NE Assumption 3 

Game 2:  #4 SW Pace 4, #3 SW Le Moyne 1

 Championship Weekend (to be hosted by Saint Anselm, #1 seed, Northeast Division)
Thursday, May 2nd   

Game 3:  Game 1 winner vs. #2 SW New Haven (12:00 PM)

Game 4:  Game 2 winner vs. #2 NE Southern New Hampshire (2:30 PM)

Friday, May 3rd  

Game 5:  Game 3 winner vs. #1 NE Saint Anselm (12:00 PM)

Game 6:  Game 4 winner vs. #1 SW Adelphi (2:30 PM)

Saturday, May 4th

Game 7:  Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner (12:00 PM)

-Information for recaps provided by Merrimack and Pace athletic communications staffs-

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.