Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. ? Two-time defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) champion Canisius has been a thorn in the side of the Manhattan College softball team for years. It was no different on Thursday at Gartland Field, as the third-seeded Griffs (24-22) jumped out to a 6-0 lead en route to an 8-2 victory over the second-seeded Lady Jaspers (19-26) in the first round of the MAAC Tournament.
Making their first MAAC Tournament appearance since 2005, the Lady Jaspers fell behind early, as Canisius put up a four-spot in the top of the first. Lauren Hope walked leading off the game, then after a pair of singles and an error, she scored on a groundout. Cameron Norton, a Second Team All-MAAC selection, followed with a three-run blast just to the right of dead center field to put the Griffs up 4-0. Canisius added a run in the second on an RBI single from Rachelle Barrientos, then made it 6-0 on an RBI single by Lizzy Gatto in the top of the fourth.
The Lady Jaspers finally broke through with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. After Erika Sullivan (Bay Shore, N.Y.) walked to lead off the inning, Ashley Rampino (Manalapan, N.J.) singled to left, and Danielle Just (Woodcliff Lake, N.J.) drew a walk to load the bases with nobody out. After Nicole Michel (Massapequa, N.Y.) struck out, Kara Cokeley (Pearl River, N.Y.) lifted a sacrifice fly to right that got Manhattan on the board. Carla Velasquez (Miami, Fla.) followed with an RBI single to cut the Griffs' lead to 6-2.
Barrientos smashed a solo home run in the top of the sixth to put Canisius up 7-2, then the Griffs added a final run on Hope's RBI groundout in the top of the seventh. That was more than Second Team All-MAAC pitcher Mallory Aldred needed, as she struck out nine Lady Jaspers and held Manhattan to just three hits. Aldred (17-6) struck out the side in the seventh.
Amanda Genovese's (Bethany, Conn.) second-inning single was Manhattan's only other hit in the game. Melissa Donnelly (Long Beach, N.Y.), one of three Lady Jaspers named to the All-MAAC First Team earlier in the day, got the start in the circle and lasted four innings. She gave up six runs and eight hits while walking one. Donnelly (7-9) committed three of Manhattan's six errors. Rampino, another First Team All-MAAC selection, tossed the final three innings, yielding two runs (one earned) and four hits and striking out three.
Barrientos, Gatto and Katie Lancellotti each had three of the Griffs' 12 hits. Hope, Barrientos and Lancellotti all scored three runs for Canisius. Barrientos went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
Manhattan now faces an uphill battle in its attempt to claim a second MAAC Tournament championship. The Lady Jaspers must win four straight games over the next two days to claim the title, and Manhattan will be eliminated with another loss in the double-elimination event. The Lady Jaspers' first do-or-die contest is at 1 p.m. on Friday, when they take on the loser of the game between top-seeded Fairfield (21-26) and fourth-seeded Niagara (27-17). The loser of that contest is eliminated, while the winner moves on to face the loser of the game between Canisius and the Fairfield/Niagara winner at 3 p.m. for a spot in Saturday's championship.
