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Manhattan-Creighton Box Score
Manhattan-Bucknell Box Score
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Manhattan College softball team concluded action at the Rebel Spring Games with a pair of contests on Sunday. The Jaspers (0-6) were unable to come away with a win, however, dropping a 4-0 decision to Creighton (5-9) before falling to Bucknell (3-8) by a 4-1 margin at the DiamondPlex.
In the Jaspers' first game of the day, Creighton scored all four of its runs in the first two innings. Bri Lingl ripped an RBI single in the top of the first, while starting pitcher Becca Changstrom helped her own cause with a two-run double in the second.
That proved to be all the offense she would need, as Manhattan was held hitless until Amanda Paxson's (Cedar Grove, N.J.) one-out single in the fourth. The only Jasper to reach second base was Andi Stallard (Katy, Texas), who singled with two out in the sixth and moved up when Stephanie Reinhardt (Albany, N.Y.) drew a walk. However, she got the next batter, Meredith Bryant (Brielle, N.J.) to ground to third, finishing off the shutout.
Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) pitched well in the loss. She gave up four runs on seven hits in a complete game effort. Bowen (0-2) also struck out five and walked two.
Kelsey Allender was the only Blue Jay with two hits. She went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Lingl was 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Erin McGonigal and Jessica Lewis each scored a run. In addition to going 1-for-3 with two RBIs at the plate, Changstrom (3-5) struck out seven and walked three in a two-hit shutout.
Against Bucknell, the Jaspers again fell behind early, as the Bison plated two runs in the bottom of the first. It would remain that way until the fifth, when Reinhardt led off with a single and scored on a double by Elena Bowman (San Mateo, Calif.). However, Bucknell immediately countered in the bottom half of the inning, increasing its lead to 4-1 on a two-run single by Kristen Zahn.
Bucknell pitcher Cindy Cherness entered during Manhattan's fifth-inning rally and walked the first batter she faced to load the bases before striking out Sydney Weedon (Santa Ana, Calif.) to end the inning. She then retired the Jaspers in order in the sixth and seventh to wrap up the 4-1 victory for the Bison.
The Jaspers were limited to just four hits as a team in the contest. Bowman and Weedon had doubles, while Stallard and Reinhardt each singled. Bowman drove in Reinhardt with Manhattan's only run. Amy Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) (0-4) started in the circle and took the loss. She surrendered two runs on six hits, struck out three and walked one in 3.2 innings. Danielle Gabriel (Island Heights, N.J.) followed with two innings of two-run (one earned), one-hit relief, while Anna Crowley (Eastchester, N.Y.) retired the only batter she faced.
Zahn had a perfect day at the plate for Bucknell, going 2-for-2 with two walks and two RBIs. Mallory Lyons and Cydnee Sanders both scored twice, while Mariah Midyette and Erin Cox collected RBIs for the Bison. Starting pitcher Amanda Fazio went three innings. She allowed two hits and struck out one while not giving up a run. Lara Bean (2-2) got credit for the win after yielding one run on two hits in 1.2 innings of work. Cherness struck out four and walked one in her 2.1 innings to pick up her first save of the year.
Manhattan's home opener is scheduled for Thursday, when Hampton (8-7) visits Gaelic Park for a doubleheader at 2 p.m.
