Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
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RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Looking to carry the momentum of its doubleheader sweep against first-place Marist, the Manhattan College softball team took on Fairleigh Dickinson in a twinbill on Wednesday afternoon. The Lady Jaspers (17-19) extended their winning streak to a season-high four games with a 5-1 victory in the opener before the Knights (22-17) posted an 8-4 win in the nightcap at Gaelic Park.
Manhattan struck early in game one, putting a pair of runs on the board in the bottom of the first. Kristina Walraven (Thompson Ridge, N.Y.) got things started with a walk, then stole second and moved to third on a groundout. After Jaci Rahey (West Milford, N.J.) ripped an RBI double, Nicole Michel (Massapequa, N.Y.) reached when FDU's second baseman dropped a popup. Melissa Donnelly (Long Beach, N.Y.) was up next, and she popped up a bunt right in front of the plate. FDU catcher Maria Roney made a diving catch for the second out, but Rahey alertly tagged up from third and beat the throw home, giving the Lady Jaspers a 2-0 lead and Donnelly an unconventional sacrifice fly.
The Lady Jaspers added two more in the bottom of the second. A Jen Keller (Woodridge, N.J.) single and a double by Melissa Cascio (Kings Park, N.Y.) put runners on second and third with nobody out, and Walraven drove in both runs with a double to left center. In the third, Michel reached on a leadoff single off the third baseman's glove and Donnelly followed with a single. Monica Evangelista's (Cedar Grove, N.J.) sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, and Michel came home on Keller's sacrifice fly to left.
The 5-0 lead was more than enough for Donnelly. She gave up a leadoff home run to Caitlin Bradac in the fourth, but that was the extent of FDU's offense. Donnelly (1-3) scattered six hits and retired the Knights in order in the seventh to finish off the 5-1 victory. She struck out five and walked one to earn her first win of 2011.
Offensively, Manhattan's seven hits were divided among seven different players. Walraven was the only Lady Jasper to reach base twice, going 1-for-2 with a walk, two RBIs and a run scored.
Paige Castro went 2-for-3 at the plate for Fairleigh Dickinson, while Lauren Hamilton was 1-for-2 with a walk. Kirsten Shreve (4-7) took the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) and seven hits with five strikeouts and a walk in six innings.
In the second inning of game two, a leadoff single by Maria Roney, then three successive walks put the Knights on the board. After Shreve popped up for the second out, it looked like Manhattan starter Ashley Rampino (Manalapan, N.J.) would get out of the inning giving up just the one run when Marikka Benson popped up. However, the ball landed in no-man's land in short right field, resulting in two runs. Castro was thrown out trying to go first to third on the play, ending the inning.
With two out in the bottom of the third, Amanda Berrios (Carteret, N.J.) reached on a bloop single that landed between the circle and second base. She then caught the FDU defense napping and took second, which was left unattended. Those 60 feet proved important, as Walraven followed with a double to right center that cut Manhattan's deficit to 3-1.
The Knights increased their advantage to 5-1 with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, but Manhattan responded in the bottom half of the inning. After a leadoff single by Meghan McDevitt (Nutley, N.J.), pinch runner Michelle Roemer (Ardsley, N.Y.) moved to second on a groundout. Rahey walked to put runners on first and second, then Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) ripped a double down the right field line. Both runners scored easily, but Rahey had to go back to third when the ball rolled out of play and was ruled dead. Michel came up as the tying run, but her deep fly ball to left stayed in the park, ending the inning.
Fairleigh Dickinson added a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to make it 8-2. Those insurance tallies proved to be important, as the Lady Jaspers put the tying run on deck in the bottom of the seventh. After a leadoff walk by Cascio and a pinch-hit infield single by Erika Sullivan (Bay Shore, N.Y.), Rampino re-entered as a pinch hitter and drew a walk to load the bases. Donnelly followed with a single deep to the hole at short, knocking in two runs. With Manhattan's deficit now 8-4, Evangelista worked the count full, then fouled off a number of pitches before lifting a fly ball to right that ended the game.
Just like the first game, Manhattan's seven game two hits were spread among seven different players. Bowen reached base twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI, while Berrios, Rahey and Sullivan went a combined 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored in the nine spot. Rampino (5-9) started in the circle and took the loss. She allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits, struck out five and walked six in four innings of work. Bowen gave up three runs (two earned) and six hits while walking two over the final three innings.
Shreve, Roney and Allaire Primiano each had two of Fairleigh Dickinson's 11 hits in game two. Shreve and Benson both collected a pair of RBIs, while Hamilton scored twice. Maire Shaughnessy (8-6) tossed a complete game in the circle and picked up the win. She surrendered four runs on seven hits, walked four and struck out two.
The Lady Jaspers now have a six-day break before returning to action. Manhattan visits Monmouth (15-18) for a 3 p.m. twinbill on Tuesday.
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