Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. ? The Manhattan College softball team (20-27) saw its 2009 season come to an end with an 8-1 loss to Niagara (29-18) in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament at Gartland Field on Saturday afternoon. The contest began after Manhattan's 16-inning marathon victory over fellow MAAC regular season co-champion Fairfield on Friday night, but had been suspended due to darkness with the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning.
On Friday night, Manhattan got two hits in the top of the first inning, but was unable to push a runner across. Niagara scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the second when Kayla Hines led off the inning with a single, was sacrificed over to second, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a wild pitch. The Lady Jaspers got the run back in the top of the third when Melissa Donnelly (Long Beach, N.Y.) belted a solo home run to center field.
After Donnelly recorded the first two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Niagara put a pair of runners on when Jennifer Hare singled and Heather Lohrman walked. At that point, the umpires declared it too dark to continue and suspended the game until 11 a.m. on Saturday. It began to rain shortly after the game was halted, and the rain continued overnight, resulting in the continuation being delayed nearly two hours while the Marist grounds crew prepared the field. Once the game finally resumed, Donnelly got Melissa Markle to ground out to end the inning.
A solo home run by Kristin Kill in the bottom of the fifth broke the tie and ignited a seven-run inning for the Purple Eagles. Maggie McDonald singled down the left field line, then back-to-back walks loaded the bases and knocked Donnelly out of the circle. Ashley Rampino (Manalapan, N.J.), who threw more than 200 pitches in the win over Fairfield, was called upon in relief, but walked the first batter she faced to force in another run. Hare was up next, and she tripled to right field to clear the bases. After a popup and a walk, Kristen Sito belted a two-run double to left. The inning finally ended when Kill flied out to left.
The Lady Jaspers got a leadoff single in both the sixth and the seventh, but were unable to advance the runner each time. The game ended when Kelly Murray (Leominster, Mass.) sent a scorching line drive to third base and Carla Velasquez (Miami, Fla.) was doubled-off first.
Kristina Walraven (Thompson Ridge, N.Y.), who hit .533 (8-for-15) in the tournament, went 2-for-3 at the plate. Nicole Michel (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Danielle Just (Woodcliff Lake, N.J.) each had a hit, and Donnelly's homer accounted for Manhattan's only run in the game. In the circle, Donnelly (7-10) gave up five runs and five hits while striking out two and walking four in 4.1 innings. She allowed just one run and three hits in the 3.2 innings played Friday night. Rampino pitched the final 1.2 innings, yielding three runs and four hits. She also walked two.
Hare went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and a run scored for Niagara. McDonald was 2-for-2 with a run scored, while Sito went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. As a team, Niagara had nine hits. Kayla Hines scored a pair of runs for the Purple Eagles. Michelle Krier (9-5) went the distance in the circle, giving up one run and five hits and striking out five.
Manhattan finished the season with 20 wins for the first time since 2006, and the Lady Jaspers qualified for the MAAC Tournament for the firs time since 2005. The 11 conference wins set a school record and Manhattan earned a share of the MAAC regular season title for the first time in program history.
