Worcester, Mass. (April 12) -- In the team's home opener, the Assumption softball team swept visiting Pace University on Tuesday afternoon to move into sole possession of first place in the Northeast-10 standings. The Hounds took game one by a 7-4 final before completing the sweep with a 6-1 game-two victory.
The Setters jumped on top in the third inning as Nicole Schultheis scored on an RBI double to left center by Rachael McMahon for the 1-0 advantage. Assumption answered back with a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning as freshman Tanya Robidoux (Hooksett, N.H./Manchester Central) beat out an infield single and Melissa Jalbert (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) homered to left for the 2-1 lead.
Assumption extended the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI triple by sophomore Lauren Medeiros (Seekonk, Mass./Seekonk) and an RBI single to left center from freshman Nicole Boris (Gardner, Mass./Gardner). Pace wasn't done though with four hits, including three doubles, in the top of the sixth and pushed across three runs to send the game into extra innings.
In the bottom of the eight, Robidoux singled to center with one out and Medeiros reached on an infield single with two outs. Boris supplied all the offense the Greyhounds needed as she hit her fourth home run of the season, clearing the fence in left center for the 7-4 walkoff victory.
Junior Chelsea Durso (Salem, N.H./Salem) got the start for the Greyhounds, going six innings and allowing 10 hits and four earned runs. Junior Casey Halajian (Quincy, Mass./Archbishop Williams) threw two innings of scoreless relief for the victory, improving to 3-0 on the season. Chelsea Shea took the loss for Pace, falling to 7-3 overall.
In game two, Pace again staked to an early 1-0 lead as Sabrina Gonzalez reached on a double to center field and later scored on a passed ball. That was all the offense the Setters would muster off Assumption starter Jennifer Lowrey (Assonet, Mass./Apponequet), who went the distance to improve to 4-5 overall.
The Greyhounds tied the game in the bottom of the first on an RBI double to center by Boris that scored Robidoux and took the lead for good in the third inning with a trio of runs. After Jalbert drew a leadoff walk, she came home on a double to left center by Medeiros. The Greyhounds chased Pace starter Colby Hochmuth in the inning as the hosts also an RBI hit from senior Amy Gordon (Seekonk, Mass./Bishop Feehan) and an RBI sacrifice fly from senior Ashley Bilodeau (Manchester, Conn./East Catholic).
Assumption put the game out of reach with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings for the 6-1 final. Medeiros had her fourth hit of the day in the fourth inning with an RBI double down the left field line that scored Bernadette Fuentes (Hicksville, N.Y./Holy Trinity). Bilodeau doubled to left center in the fifth to score Gordon for the final margin of victory.
Lowrey scattered seven hits with just one run allowed and eight strikeouts, including five straight K's at one point. Hochmuth took the loss for the Setters, going two innings and allowing four hits and four earned runs.
The Greyhounds are now 15-10 overall, 9-3 in Northeast-10 play and have won six straight games. The Setters fall to 15-13 overall and 7-5 in league play with the pair of losses. Assumption is back in action on Wednesday afternoon, hosting Saint Rose for a Northeast-10 doubleheader. That game may be postponed due to rain in the area, so check at www.assumptiongreyhounds.com for more information.
