Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
BUFFALO, N.Y. ? After having its doubleheader against defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) champion Canisius postponed two days, the Manhattan College softball team (8-18, 2-2 MAAC) finally got a chance to face the Griffs on Monday. Canisius (16-13, 5-1 MAAC) swept the twinbill at the Demske Sports Complex, posting a 10-0 victory in the first game before notching a 9-2 win in game two.
Rain and snow forced the doubleheader to be postponed from Saturday until Monday, and more inclement weather forced a 75-minute delay before the teams finally got underway at 12:15 p.m. However, once they got started, the Lady Jaspers and Griffs were able to play through without interruption.
The first game emerged as an early pitcher's duel between Ashley Rampino (Manalapan, N.J.) and Mallory Aldred. Manhattan had an early scoring threat in the top of the first, as Kristina Walraven (Thompson Ridge, N.Y.) singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and went to third on Rampino's single. However, that's all Manhattan would get. Aldred struck out Lyndzie Phillips (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Carla Velasquez (Miami, Fla.) to end the inning and begin a span where she retired the final 14 Manhattan batters in a row.
Rampino matched her zero for zero until the bottom of the fourth, when the Griffs sent 13 batters to the plate and erupted for 10 runs. Cameron Norton homered to center field leading off the inning, and the next six Canisius hitters all singled. After Lauren Hope popped up for the first out, Lauren Falzone roped a two-run double down the left field line. Norton followed with an RBI single, then Michelle Fridey tripled her home before Rampino was finally able to get out of the inning.
Aldred had a 1-2-3 top of the fifth, at which point the game was called because of the eight-run mercy rule. Aldred (11-4) allowed just the two first-inning hits and struck out six Lady Jaspers in five innings to earn the win.
Eight of the nine batters in the Griffs' lineup had a hit during the 10-run fourth inning, and leadoff hitter Lauren Hope singled in the first. Norton had two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs during the fourth-inning rally, while Fridey went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Falzone and Rachelle Barrientos each knocked in a pair of runs. Rampino (6-5) allowed 10 Canisius runs and 11 hits with one strikeout in four innings.
In game two, Manhattan threatened in the top of the first. The Lady Jaspers had two runners on with nobody out, but Canisius used a double play and a fly ball to center to get out of the inning. The Griffs then went in front with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Hope led off with an infield single and scored on an error, then Fridey came across on an RBI single by Paige Freiberger.
Manhattan scored twice in the top of the fourth to tie the game. Erika Sullivan (Bay Shore, N.Y.) got the inning started with a leadoff single. She came home with Manhattan's first run on an RBI double by Carla Velasquez (Miami, Fla.). Kara Cokeley (Pearl River, N.Y.) followed with a single up the middle that allowed pinch runner Gianna Cirilli (Little Ferry, N.J.) to score the tying run.
Canisius responded with another big fourth inning, this time putting up a six-spot. Freiberger started the rally with a leadoff single through the right side. After a sacrifice bunt moved Freiberger to second, a pair of Manhattan errors helped open the floodgates, as five of the Griffs' six runs in the inning were unearned. Fridey belted an RBI triple, then Freiberger walked in her second plate appearance of the frame before Sullivan struck out Katie Lancellotti to finally get out of the inning. The Griffs made it 9-2 with another unearned run in the bottom of the sixth.
The Lady Jaspers had eight hits in game two, led by two hits each from Sullivan and Velasquez. Velasquez, who was named MAAC Rookie of the Week earlier on Monday, also drove in a run. Walraven, who earned MAAC Player of the Week honors on Monday, went 1-for-2 to extend her hitting streak to eight games. Sullivan (0-7) took the loss after giving up nine runs, only two of which were earned, and 11 hits in six innings. She also struck out four and walked five. The Manhattan defense committed four errors.
Fridey had three of the Griffs' 11 hits in game two, going 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI. Freiberger was 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI, while Hope went 2-for-4 and scored twice. Seven different Canisius players had at least one hit and eight scored at least one in game two. Juliette Bowers (3-5) got the start in the circle and went four innings. She yielded two runs and five hits while striking out four. Aldred gave up three hits, struck out three and walked two over the final three innings to earn her first save of the season.
The Lady Jaspers are back in action on Wednesday, when they visit Monmouth (15-9-1) for a non-conference twinbill that gets underway at 3 p.m.
