Spring sports for the Blue and Gold are off to a great start. Pace Baseball, Softball, Women’s Lacrosse and Men’s Lacrosse have all had players given a weekly award by the Northeast-10 Conference. Best of all, all their good work has been away from home. And not just in neighboring campuses and cites, but miles away.
Pace Baseball’s week was all far from home. The team took on D’Youville University February 28-March 1 in Cary, North Carolina. Pace got 1 of 3 victories. To close the week out in Cary, a tilt with #10 ranked West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
For his efforts, first year infielder Andrew Heppner was the Rookie of the Week, announced Monday, March 3. Heppner swung a .333 batting average. His fielding percentage remained perfect too.
Softball’s bats have began hot. In each of their first four games, The Setters scored at least 3 runs. Conversely, Pace has held their opponents to 1 run or a shutout in 3 of their first 4 games. Leading the offense for Opening Week was Willa Poplawski. In the season opening road-trip, she put up 6 rbi, 3 of which were courtesy of home runs.
Her first homerun was vs Fairmont State University in Fairmount, West Virginia. She cracked her other two homers in a victorious 14-8 slugfest with Shippensburg State University. Poplawski’s roadtrip has her a blazing hot .533 batting average over 15 at bats.
Ace Giselle Garcia threw a career high 18 strikeouts on Opening Day allowing just 1 run vs Fairmont State on February 28. She picked up a save in the late morning game of the doubleheader vs Shippensburg State the next day. Coming out of the bullpen, Garcia struck out two of the 4 she faced. She went the distance in the afternoon game of the doubleheader, striking out 12 more for a 5-0 shutout win.
Men’s Lacrosse took a trip themselves. Following their thrilling 11-9 home opening win, it was off to Wilmington, Delaware to continue non-conference play.
Pace won 13-8 vs the Wilmington Delaware University Wildcats. The second and third quarters swung it their way. After a 2-2 tie in the first, Pace scored 9 of the next 11 goals going into the final frame. Matt Baldino racked up the points in this contest, scoring 3 and assisting on 2. Preston Kal had 2 goals and 2 assists apiece for 4 points.
Home games will come more consistently later in the month.
Baseball will be at the familiar Peter X. Finnerty Field on Wednesday March 12, hosting the Dominican University Chargers. After visiting them in Garden City, NY on March 14, Adelphi University comes to Pleasantville on March 15. A long homestand starts the following week. On March 18 Mercy University of Dobbs Ferry, NY comes north to Pleasantville. Then comes Saint Thomas Aquinas on Wednesday, March 19. A couple of NE-10 Doubleheaders lead the following week. Bentley visits Pace Saturday, March 22, followed by Assumption on March 23. Wednesday, March 26 vs Queens College ends the homestand.
Softball will wait a little longer for their home opener. Next Monday, March 17, Pace Softball will be midway through a second road trip throughout California, facing California State University Dominguez Hills that day, Biola University March 18 and Cal State San Marcos on March 19. Pace Softball Field sees its first home game Saturday, March 23 for a doubleheader with Dominican University starting at 12:00pm. Two more double headers finish off their home schedule for the month: Wednesday, March 26 vs Saint Thomas Aquinas College and Thursday, March 27 vs Queens College.
Men’s Lacrosse will be on the road again Saturday, March 15 to battle Assumption University. The team will be home again on Tuesday, March 18 to host Franklin Pierce University. The first draw will be at 3:30pm. Next up is an anticipated Top-25 matchup between the Setters and #9 ranked Seton Hill University Griffins. That road test is on Saturday, March 22. The month of March for MLAX will end at Northwell Stadium. Saint Michael’s College visits Pace on Saturday, March 29. The game starts at 12:00 pm.