Box Score
Box Score
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Elena Bowman (San Mateo, Calif.) hit two home runs and drove in four, but it was not enough for the Manhattan College softball team on Sunday, as the Jaspers (3-9) fell to Saint Francis (PA) (13-4), 7-6 in eight innings, in the final game of the Capital Classic at the GW Softball Field.
After each team plated an unearned run in the first, the Jaspers added a run in the second when Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) singled to knock in Mickayla Romero (Las Vegas, Nev.). Manhattan then increased its lead to 5-1 in the fourth. Meredith Bryant (Brielle, N.J.) started the inning with an infield single before Bowen reached on an error. Bowman was up next, and she crushed her first home run of the game, a three-run blast to right field.
Saint Francis (PA) cut into the Jaspers' lead with a two-spot in the bottom of the fourth, but Bowman led off the top of the sixth with a solo shot to center that made it 6-3. However, the Red Flash responded with three runs in the bottom half of the frame to tie the game. The big blow was a two-run single by Alexis Bower with the bases loaded. Manhattan got out of trouble when Bowen induced a double play ball.
Both sides went down in order in the seventh, sending the contest into extra innings. Stephanie Reinhardt (Albany, N.Y.) was placed on second base to begin Manhattan's half of the eighth, and she moved to third on Bryant's bunt. After Bowen flied out, Bowman was intentionally walked. However, Amanda Paxson (Cedar Grove, N.J.) popped up to end the inning. Saint Francis (PA) then won it in the bottom of the eighth on Elise Jancef's RBI single.
Four different Jaspers had two hits in the game, as Manhattan collected 10 hits as a team. Andi Stallard (Katy, Texas) and Sydney Weedon (Santa Ana, Calif.) both went 2-for-4, while Bowen was 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Bowen also got the start in the circle and tossed six innings. She gave up six runs (five earned) on 10 hits, struck out four and walked three. Amy Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) (0-6) took the loss after allowing an unearned run and a hit while striking out two in 1.1 innings of work.
Kindra Witthus finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI for the Red Flash, while Samantha Thomas went 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Maggie Creciun was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, and Bower ended up 1-for-4 with two runs scored at the plate. She also tossed five innings in the circle, yielding five runs (three earned) on nine hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts. Ketarah DeVries (5-1) earned the win after surrendering one run and one hit while walking two in three innings.
The Jaspers are back in action on Wednesday, when they visit St. John's (11-13) for a doubleheader that gets underway at 2 p.m.
