Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Manhattan College softball team secured a place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships for the second straight year on Sunday. The Jaspers (24-13, 13-3 MAAC) also maintained their hold on first place, and the right to host that tournament, with a doubleheader split at second-place Canisius (22-15, 11-3 MAAC). Manhattan won the first game 9-1 for its program-record 13th MAAC victory before the Griffs rallied to take game two at the Demske Sports Complex by a 6-4 count in eight innings.
After Canisius got on the board first in game one on a second-inning home run by Lindsey Silfer, the Jaspers took the lead with two in the top of the third. Mickayla Romero (Las Vegas, Nev.) walked leading off the inning before Elena Bowman (San Mateo, Calif.) sent a long double to the gap in right center. Amanda Paxson (Cedar Grove, N.J.) followed with an RBI single, and Jenn Vazquez (Fairfield, Conn.) gave the Jaspers the lead with a single down the left field line.
Manhattan's bats then came alive in the fourth. Victoria Ross (Bloomfield, N.J.) started the rally with her first career home run, a blast to center field that made it 3-1. After Emily Cutler (Bloomingdale, N.J.) and Bowman both walked, Paxson singled to load the bases with one out. That brought up Vazquez, and she crushed a grand slam to center that increased Manhattan's cushion to 7-1. Bowman then added a two-run shot, her 15th of the year, in the top of the fifth before Amy Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) took care of the Griffs in the bottom half of the inning, capping off Manhattan's five-inning victory.
Bowman and Vazquez each went 3-for-3 in game one. Bowman had three extra-base hits (a homer and two doubles), scored two runs and drove in two. Vazquez, who ended up a triple short of the cycle, recorded five RBIs in the contest. Paxson finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Ross was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Romero also scored twice. Bright earned the win after tossing a five-inning complete game. She allowed one run on five hits, struck out four and walked one.
Jessica Berzins and Samantha Sharkey both singled twice for the Griffs. Silfer's home run was the only other Canisius hit against Bright. Erika Mackie (12-6) took the loss after yielding nine runs (seven earned) on 12 hits while striking out four and walking six over 4.2 innings. Carey Seeger finished up, giving up a hit and a walk in 0.1 innings.
Michelle DelPrince gave the Griffs a 1-0 lead with a first-inning homer in game two, and it would remain that way until the fifth, when Manhattan rallied for a pair of runs to take the lead. After the Jaspers loaded the bases on walks to Briana Matazinsky (Valley Falls, N.Y.), Ann Crowley (Eastchester, N.Y.) and Bowman, Paxson delivered a two-run single up the middle that put Manhattan in front 2-1.
Canisius regained the lead with a two-spot in the bottom of the fifth, but Sydney Weedon (North Tustin, Calif.) tied it with a solo shot to left leading off the sixth. In the top of the seventh, Bowman started a Manhattan rally with a leadoff single before she was replaced on the bases by Paxson. After a wild pitch and a walk to Vazquez, Stephanie Reinhardt (Albany, N.Y.) ripped a single through the left side that gave the Jaspers a 4-3 lead.
However, the Griffs tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. DelPrince started the rally with a double before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by Alexis Roman. Silfer then sent a fly ball to left and Ross made the catch in foul territory, but it was deep enough for DelPrince to score the tying run. The next batter, Moriah Harris lined out to second, sending the contest into extra innings.
Matazinsky singled leading off the top of the eighth, but she was thrown out trying to steal second. With two out, Cutler doubled to left center, and she advanced to third on a wild pitch. However, Romero popped up to end the inning. After Bethany DeMarco drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the eighth, Meghan Cuda ended the contest with a walk-off two-run homer to right center. With the 6-4, eight-inning victory, Canisius prevented Manhattan from sweeping a doubleheader in Buffalo for the first time ever.
Paxson went 2-for-4 in game two, giving her five hits in the twinbill. She also drove in two runs and scored another. Weedon also had two hits to go along with a run scored and an RBI, while Bowman reached base in all four of her plate appearances. Matazinsky, who was 1-for-2 with a run scored at the plate, went five innings in the circle. She surrendered three runs on five hits, struck out three and walked four. Erin Hamm (Collegeville, Pa.) gave up one hit and recorded one strikeout in an inning of scoreless relief, while Bright (14-6) took the loss. She tossed the final 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on two hits and a walk.
For the Griffs, Cuda finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. DelPrince was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Roman went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Madi Weathers (9-7) pitched a complete game. She allowed four runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts and five walks.
With two conference doubleheaders remaining on the schedule, Manhattan has a one-game lead on Canisius, which makes up its twinbill with Niagara on Wednesday. Siena, Fairfield and Iona, who have all clinched postseason berths, are two games behind the Jaspers and still mathematically alive to host the MAAC Tournament.
But before the MAAC regular season title is decided next weekend, the Jaspers return to Gaelic Park for a non-conference twinbill against St. John's (23-14) at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
