Recap Courtesy of Pace Athletics
PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – For the second time in program history, Pace University Softball was crowned the champions of the Northeast-10 Conference, with a comeback 6-4 victory over Assumption University on Saturday afternoon.
In a whirlwind of a championship event, Pace and Assumption fought back and forth throughout a seven-inning battle to declare a champion. Despite trailing by as many as two runs, the number-one-seeded Setters triumphed to claim the 2025 conference title on their home field.
The Setters improve to 41–10 on the season, securing the title with a resilient performance highlighted by timely hitting and a complete-game effort in the circle from the Most Valuable Player,
Gisselle Garcia.
Here's What Happened
- In the top of the first, the Greyhounds wasted no time grabbing a 2-0 lead when their cleanup hitter launched a no-doubt two-run homer off Pace ace Gisselle Garcia. It was just the fourth home run Garcia had allowed all season - a rare blemish for the standout pitcher.
- Following the two-run inning, Pace settled in quickly, and in the bottom of the second, Sophie Valle came through with a sharp single up the middle. Valle, who has been clutch from the bottom of the order, gave the Blue and Gold their first run and a much-needed jolt of momentum.
- With a 2-1 deficit, neither side added a run until the fifth inning as Garcia continued to have her way in the circle. Just one day after becoming the NE10 all-time strikeouts leader, Garcia recorded her 1,000th career punch-out (with her third strikeout), becoming the first pitcher ever in conference history to reach that mark.
- After quiet third and fourth innings, Assumption added another run in the fifth behind a solo home run. That gave the Greyhounds a 3-1. lead, but in the bottom half of the inning, the Setters answered back like champions.
- Back-to-back singles from Katherina Luna and Alexa Borino set the table for an eventful inning. A sacrifice bunt by Kaylee Matsuda moved both runners up, and then came the turning point for the home squad. Riley Jenkins, as steady as she has been all year, ripped a two-run single to center to tie the game 3-3.
- The game remained tense and in the top of the sixth, Assumption briefly reclaimed the lead when a two-out infield single; however, the 4–3 edge would not last long for the visitors.
- Trailing by one run in the later innings, Pace erupted again in the bottom half of the sixth. Borino tallied with her second hit with an infield roller that proved too tough to handle, bringing Alvarado home to tie the contest at four runs apiece. Following Borino, Matsuda added an RBI single of her own, and to cap off the rally, Jenkins knocked another hard-hit single up the middle, giving the Setters their first lead of the day, 6-4.
- In the final inning, with the game and championship on the line, Garcia displayed why she is the heart of the Setters' rotation. Despite allowing a hit and a hit-by-pitch to open the inning, the Lemon Grove, CA. native struck out the same batter who homered in the first, to officially crown the Pace Setters as 2025 NE10 Conference Champions.
- Fueled by clutch hitting, disciplined execution, and a determined all-around performance, Pace softball battled back for a well-earned 6-4 championship victory, capping off a historic regular season in front of their home crowd.
Box Score Insights
- Tournament MVP, Garcia, earned her 24th victory of the year, allowing six hits, four runs (three earned), while striking out nine batters on 116 pitches. In the contest, Garcia also became the first pitcher in NE10 history to reach 1,000 career strikeouts.
- The All-Championship team featured Garcia, Jenkins, and Willa Poplawski as the trio played a key role in the Blue and Gold's second conference title (the last championship came back in the 2016 season).
- Jenkins had a massive day in the batter's box, posting two hits and a team-high three RBIs, which included a key two-run single in the sixth inning.
- At the top of the lineup, Borino had an immense role in the win, scoring a team-high two runs with two hits and one RBI.
- The Setters did not record a strikeout offensively, and as a team, they produced nine hits compared to Assumption's six.
NE10 All-Championship Team
Gisselle Garcia, Pace *
Willa Poplawski, Pace
Riley Jenkins, Pace
Paige Cote, Assumption
Grace Heim, Assumption
Lily Kenney, Adelphi
Maddie Pickett, Bentley
* Most Oustanding Player
NE10 Softball Championship
Thursday, May 1st
Championship Weekend (to be hosted by Pace)
Game 5: #1 Pace 6, #4 Bentley 0
Game 6: #7 Adelphi 18, #6 Assumption 5
Game 7: #6 Assumption 7, #4 Bentley 4
Friday, May 2nd
Game 8: #1 Pace 2, #7 Adelphi 0
Game 9: #6 Assumption 7, #7 Adelphi 4
Saturday, May 3rd
Game 10: #1 Pace 6, #6 Assumption 4
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 11 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.
Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season. The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast-10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.