Manhattan University Athletics

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – On Sunday afternoon, the Manhattan College softball team hit the road for the final time in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play, taking on Niagara in a doubleheader.  Behind Jennifer Sansano's no-hitter, the Purple Eagles (7-25, 4-6 MAAC) notched a 5-0 victory in the opener before scoring nine run in the bottom of the fifth to post a 11-6 win over the Jaspers (15-21, 7-5 MAAC) in game two of the twinbill at Niagara Field.

Becky Zill gave Niagara the lead with a two-run homer in the third inning of game, and she belted another two-run blast in the fourth.  The Purple Eagles picked up another run in the fifth, as pinch hitter Aileen Hinton delivered an RBI single.

That proved to be more than enough offense for Sansano, who allowed just five base runners.  Amanda Paxson (Cedar Grove, N.J.) was the only Jasper to reach second base, which she did in the second and again in the seventh.  Sansano (6-9) fanned 10 and walked two in the gem.  She also hit three batters.

Zill had a double to go along with her two home runs, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBIs, while Alexis Wayne went 2-for-4 at the plate for Niagara. 

Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) (7-6) took the loss after surrendering three runs (two earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks in three innings.  Amy Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) tossed the final three innings, yielding two runs on five hits while striking out two and walking two.

The Jaspers immediately got on the board in game two.  Bowen doubled to left center leading off the game, moved to third on Amanda Babcock's (Haverstraw, N.Y.) groundout, and scored when Andi Stallard (Katy, Texas) reached on an error.  Manhattan picked up another run in the top of the second, as Jen Keller (Woodridge, N.J.) smacked a leadoff double and came around on a base hit by Anna Gallacher (New Fairfield, Conn.).

Niagara evened the score with a pair of runs in the third.  Zill delivered an RBI single and later recorded the tying tally on Gabby Lustrinelli's RBI single.

However, Manhattan scored four times in the top of the fifth to go back ahead.  Bowen was hit by a pitch leading off the inning, and Elena Bowman (San Mateo, Calif.) followed with a single to right center.  Babcock then delivered an RBI single before Paxson walked to load the bases.  Stallard then drew a walk to force in a run, then Sydney Weedon (Santa Ana, Calif.) drove in another run with a single to left.  The Jaspers went up 6-2 when Paxson scored on Meghan McDevitt's (Nutley, N.J.) sacrifice fly to center.

The Purple Eagles, though, sent 15 batters to the plate in the bottom half of the inning, erupting for nine runs to open up an 11-6 advantage.  The big blows in the inning were a two-run single by Brittany Richberg and Wayne's three-run double.  Manhattan put two runners on base in the sixth and two more in the seventh, but Niagara closed the door each time.  After Weedon reached on an error and Keller singled to begin the seventh, Sansano came in out of the bullpen, and she promptly struck out McDevitt and Gallacher before getting Bowen to ground out, preserving the sweep for Niagara.

Babcock and Keller each had two hits and a run scored for Manhattan in game two, while Babcock also drove in a run.  Bowen was 1-for-4 with two runs scored.  Kelsi Redding (Tucson, Ariz.) (2-5) started in the circle and took the loss.  She allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits, struck out six and walked five in four innings.  Erin Hamm (Collegeville, Pa.) surrendered four runs in 0.1 innings, while Bowen gave up just a hit and a walk in 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.

The Purple Eagles had 11 hits in game two, with Wayne going 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs.  Richberg was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Lustrinelli drove in a pair and Zill scored three times.  Kim Bryson (1-14) earned the win after yielding six runs (five earned) and eight hits while striking out five and walking four in six innings.  Sansano retired all three batters she faced in the nightcap, including two strikeouts.