Softball Falls to Pace in Quarterfinals of NE10's

Links: Box Score  

GARDEN CITY, N.Y.  – The Northeast Division third-seed Merrimack College softball team dropped a 3-1 decision to second-seed Pace University Setters of the Southwest Division on Thursday afternoon in the Northeast-10 Conference Championship quarterfinal game on the campus of Adelphi University.

The Basics
Score: #2 SW Pace 3, #3 NE Merrimack 1, | Final
Records: Merrimack (31-14) | Pace (29-19-1)
Location: Janet L. Fick Field | Garden City, N.Y.

2018 NE10 Championship:

Tuesday, May 1:
First Round
Game 1: #4 NE Assumption 0, at #3 NE Merrimack 2 / Final
Game 2: #4 SW New Haven 5 at #3 SW Le Moyne 2 / Final

Championship Weekend (At Adelphi, #1 Seed, Southwest Division):
Thursday May 3:
Game 3: #3 NE Merrimack 1, #2 SW Pace 3 / Final
Game 4: #4 SW New Haven vs. #2 NE Southern N.H. (2:30pm)

Friday, May 4
Game 5: #2 SW Pace vs. #1 NE Saint Anselm (12pm)
Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. #1 SW Adelphi (2:30pm)

Saturday, May 5
Game 7: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner (12pm)

Rapid Recap

• It was a pitchers' duel through the first two innings. Warriors' senior Megan Cook and Pace starter Emma Bernet started strong for their respective teams in the early going.
• However, the Setters took a 2-0 lead in the third inning. The first two batters reached and were on second and third with one out. Larissa Labs singled to left field to score the first run.
• Stephanie Wang hit a pop up to first base and was called out on an infield fly rule. However, the runner at third still came in to score after the ball bounced into right field. That gave Pace a 2-0 lead.
• Merrimack got a one-out single in the fifth by junior Emily Kurkul. Classmate Kristina Terrazzano moved senior pinch runner Breanna Dupuis to second. However, she was stranded at second as Bernet got a flyout to end the threat.
• The Setters added a run in the fifth on a RBI double by Labs, but left the bases loaded.
• The Warriors put runners on first and third with no outs in the sixth. Freshman Abigail Amato started the inning with a double, before classmate Elizabeth McCoy singled to left field. Junior Hannah Johnson brought in the first run for Merrimack, scoring Amato on a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 3-1.
• However, Bernet retired the Warriors in order in the seventh to end the game.

Notes and Notables

• WP – Emma Bernet (14-5) | LP – Megan Cook (23-5)
• Cook's Line: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER 2 BB, 1 K
• Cook pitched her 25^th complete game of the season.
• Johnson knocked in her 17^th run of the season.

Up Next:
The Warriors will now await to see if they will be selected in the 2018 NCAA Division II Softball Tournament during the selection show on Monday, May 7 at 10 a.m. Check the NCAA.com for the link to the video of the selection show.