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Box Score 2 Manhattan-Binghamton Box Score
Manhattan-Hartford Box Score
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – After winter weather forced three straight weekends of cancellations, the Manhattan College softball team finally started its season on Saturday with a pair of games in sunny Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Jaspers (1-1) suffered a 9-5 loss to Binghamton (6-6) in their opener before notching a 6-2 win over Hartford (1-5) at the Grand Park Athletic Complex.
The Jaspers struck first in their contest with Binghamton, plating a run in the bottom of the first. After Emily Cutler (Bloomingdale, N.J.) drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch, Elena Bowman (San Mateo, Calif.) delivered an RBI single to right that gave Manhattan a 1-0 lead. However, Binghamton's Taylor Chaffee smacked a three-run homer in the top of the second, then drove in another run in the third.
Binghamton increased its lead to 5-1 with a tally in the fourth before Manhattan got one back in the bottom half of the inning. Bowman led off the inning with a double, moved to second on a wild pitch, then scored on another wild pitch, as ball four to Jenn Vazquez (Fairfield, Conn.) was a little too far outside for the Bearcats' catcher to handle.
Chaffee collected her fifth RBI of the game in the top of the fifth, and the Bearcats scored three more times in the sixth to make it 9-2. Mickayla Romero (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Bowman both walked to start the bottom of the sixth, and Vazquez followed with her first home run of the season, a three-run blast to left.
Vazquez's homer was one of just three hits for the Jaspers. Bowman accounted for the other two with a single and a double. She also scored twice and knocked in a run. Amy Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) (0-1) started in the circle and went 5.1 innings. She allowed nine runs (eight earned) on 10 hits, struck out six and walked four. Briana Matazinsky (Valley Falls, N.Y.) made her collegiate pitching debut in relief and yielded one hit while striking out one and walking two in 1.2 scoreless innings.
Four different Bearcats had two hits apiece. Chaffee ended up 2-for-4 with a homer and five RBIs, while Jessica Rutherford was 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored. Sydney Harbaugh scored twice for Binghamton. Sarah Miller (4-2) earned the win after giving up five runs on three hits in a complete game effort. She struck out seven and walked four.
Against Hartford, Manhattan once again struck early, scoring a run two batters into the game. Cutler drew a leadoff walk and Romero followed with a shot to left that went for an RBI double. After Bowman was hit by a pitch, Amanda Paxson (Cedar Grove, N.J.) sent a line drive that was just fair over third base. Romero scored on the play, giving the Jaspers a 2-0 lead.
Hartford threatened in the top of the second, getting back-to-back doubles from Jackie Kelly and Jamie Soles. However, Cutler and Sydney Weedon (Tustin Lake, Calif.) made great play to gun Kelly down at home on the Soles two-bagger, keeping it 2-0 Manhattan. It would remain that way until the seventh, despite the Jaspers leaving the bases loaded in the third and again in the fourth.
In the seventh inning, Manhattan put up a four-spot to break the game open. The rally started when Romero reached on an error, and Bowman drove in pinch runner Anna Crowley (Eastchester, N.Y.) with a double to left. After a Paxson base hit, Stephanie Reinhardt (Albany, N.Y.) smashed an RBI single to make it 4-0. The Jaspers then added two more runs on bases loaded walks to Matazinsky and Cutler.
Danielle Gabriel (Island Heights, N.J.), who had given up just two Hartford hits to that point, got the first two outs in the bottom of the seventh before surrendering back-to-back home runs to Ana Alberti and Marisa Ferguson. Dani Regina then lined to Romero at third for the final out in Manhattan's 6-2 victory.
As a team, the Jaspers collected 10 hits against Hartford. Romero and Bowman both went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, while Weedon was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Paxson, meanwhile, ended up 2-for-4 with an RBI. Gabriel (1-0) earned the win after yielding two runs on four hits while walking five and striking two.
All four of Hartford's hits in the game went for extra bases. Kelly and Soles had consecutive doubles in the second, while Alberti and Ferguson connected for home runs in the seventh. Bianca Ross (0-3) took the loss for the Hawks after surrendering six runs (three earned) on 10 hits with five walks and three strikeouts in a complete game.
Manhattan will face Hartford and Binghamton again on Sunday. The Jaspers and Hawks square off at 10 a.m., followed by a 12 p.m. matchup with the Bearcats.
