Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
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BUFFALO, N.Y. - With the Manhattan College softball team trailing 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning, Jaci Rahey (West Milford, N.J.) lifted a dramatic three-run home run to center field to give the Lady Jaspers (13-17, 2-2 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) a 5-3 victory over Canisius (14-12, 3-1 MAAC) in the second game of a doubleheader at the Demske Sports Complex on Sunday afternoon. It marked just the second time (and the first since 1995) that Manhattan defeated Canisius in Buffalo and snapped the Griffs' 11-game winning streak in regular season MAAC home contests, including an 8-0 triumph in Sunday's first game.
Manhattan got the scoring underway in the top of the second. Nicole Michel (Massapequa, N.Y.) singled leading off the inning, then, after a fielder's choice, Erika Sullivan (Bay Shore, N.Y.) ripped a double down the left field line that put runners on second and third with one out. Ashley Rampino (Manalapan, N.J.) followed with a sacrifice fly to left field that put the Lady Jaspers in front 1-0.
Canisius took the lead on Katie Lancellotti's two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth, but Manhattan immediately responded in the top of the fifth. After Kristina Walraven (Thompson Ridge, N.Y.) and Rahey walked, Michel smacked an RBI single to right center to tie the game. However, the Griffs regained a one-run advantage when Lauren Hope stole home in the bottom of the fifth.
Entering the seventh down by a run, Walraven got the Manhattan rally started with a ground-rule double to left center. Melissa Donnelly (Long Beach, N.Y.) was up next, and she singled to left to put the go-ahead run on base for Rahey. Rahey, last season's MAAC leader in RBIs, delivered in the clutch spot with her third homer of the year, a three-run blast that gave the Lady Jaspers a 5-3 advantage. The Griffs put the tying run on base with two down in the bottom half of the seventh, but Rampino got Paige Freiberger to ground back to the circle, ending Manhattan's 21-game losing streak against Canisius in Buffalo.
The big blow in game two was Rahey's three-run homer, and Walraven and Michel each added two hits. Walraven also scored two runs, while Michel had an RBI. Rampino (4-8) drove in a run and pitched a complete game. She allowed three runs on eight hits, struck out two and walked two.
As a team, Canisius collected eight hits in the game, with Lancellotti and Emily Helbig both going 2-for-3 at the plate. Jen Consaul got the start in the circle and went four innings. She gave up one run on four hits and struck out one. Caroline Main allowed a run and a hit, struck out one and walked one in two innings of relief, while Amanda Baun (7-6), who picked up the win in game one, pitched the seventh and took the loss. Baun surrendered three runs on three hits and struck out one.
In the first game, Baun shut Manhattan down over five innings, giving up just three hits while striking out seven. Main allowed a walk and a strikeout in the sixth inning of the Griffs' 8-0 win.
Freiberger put Canisius on the board with a leadoff home run in the second inning, then added an RBI double in the Griffs' three-run third. Canisius made it 5-0 with an unearned tally in the fourth and increased its advantage to 7-0 with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. In the bottom of the sixth, Hope scored on a wild pitch to end the game.
Manhattan was held to three hits in game one, singles by Donnelly, Sullivan and Jen Keller (Woodridge, N.J.). Sullivan (7-5) took the loss in the circle after giving up eight runs (seven earned) on 11 hits while striking out two and walking one over 5.1 innings.
Four different Griffs had two hits, as Canisius belted 11 as a team. Freiberger went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and three runs scored, while Lizzy Gatto was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs. Hope also scored twice, and Valorie Nappo had a pair of RBIs.
The Lady Jaspers conclude their 10-game road trip with a visit to Albany (12-17) for a non-conference twinbill that gets underway at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
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