Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – On Sunday afternoon, the Manhattan College softball team visited Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC)-leading Monmouth for a doubleheader. And the Hawks (20-13, 9-1 MAAC) showed why they're in first place, defeating the Jaspers (18-14, 4-4 MAAC) 8-0 in the opener before notching a 10-7 victory in game two at MU Softball Park.
Game one was all Monmouth. After taking a 1-0 lead on Nicole Wieczorek's RBI double in the second, the Hawks scored five times in the third, highlighted by Jill Freese's grand slam. Monmouth increased its advantage to 8-0 in the fourth when Rachel Shotzbarger singled home a pair of runs.
Meanwhile, the Manhattan offense wasn't able to get anything going off Monmouth starter Amanda Riley. Riley allowed just one base runner over the first four innings on a two-out walk to Emily Cutler (Bloomingdale, NJ) in the third. Lauren Pitney (Ansonia, CT) broke up the no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the fifth, and Anna Crowley (Eastchester, NY) added a pinch-hit single to put runners on first and second. However, Riley induced a pair of popups to end the inning and bring the contest to an early conclusion.
Briana Matazinsky (Valley Falls, NY) (6-5) suffered her first conference loss after allowing six runs on five hits and a walk in three innings. Stephanie Kristo (San Jose, CA) pitched the fourth and gave up two runs (one earned), one hit and one walk.
Freese finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored and four RBIs for the Hawks, while Chloe Howerth was 2-for-3 with a run scored and Shotzbarger went 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs. Riley (8-3) struck out three and walked one in the five-inning, two-hit shutout.
Monmouth's Emma Hill hit an inside-the-park home run leading off the bottom of the first in game two, then the Hawks scored six times in the second. Shotzbarger belted a grand slam to left, and Justene Reyes followed with a solo shot to right center. Wieczorek homered leading off the third, as Monmouth put up a three-spot to increase its lead to 10-0.
In the top of the fourth, the Jaspers finally broke through with four runs. Jenn Vazquez (Fairfield, CT) started the inning with a double down the right field line, then, after Matazinsky reached on an error, Shannon Puthe (Mullica Hill, NJ) singled to load the bases. With two out, pinch hitter Dominique Palagruto (Sewell, NJ) lifted her first career hit just onto the outfield grass to put Manhattan on the board. Cutler was up next, and she ripped a bases-clearing double to center that brought the Jaspers within 10-4. Manhattan picked up another run in the top of the fifth when Matazinsky, who was at third, was hit by a pickoff attempt and the ball caromed into left field.
Still down 10-5, Manhattan rallied in the top of the seventh. Elena Bowman (San Mateo, CA) roped a one-out single, and Vazquez followed with a single to left center. After Puthe walked to load the bases, pinch runner Meredith Bryant (Brielle, NJ) came around on a passed ball. Pinch hitter Andi Stallard (Katy, Texas) then knocked an RBI single to left that made it 10-7 and brought the tying run to the plate. However, Riley struck out Stephanie Reinhardt (Albany, NY) to finish off the sweep for Monmouth. This marked the first time all year that Manhattan dropped both ends of a doubleheader, and the Jaspers' losing streak is now at a season-long three games.
The Jaspers had 10 hits in game two, with Puthe going 2-for-3 and Vazquez finishing 2-for-4. Matazinsky went 1-for-4 with two runs scored, and Cutler was 1-for-3 with three RBIs. Kristo (5-5) started in the circle and took the loss. She yielded three runs on four hits, struck out two and walked one in 1.2 innings. Matazinsky tossed 0.1 innings of relief, surrendering four runs on three hits and a walk before Erin Hamm (Collegeville, PA) allowed three runs on five hits with two strikeouts and a walk over two innings of work. Crowley finished up with two scoreless innings. She gave up two hits, walked one and struck out four.
Hill finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs for the Hawks, while Shotzbarger went 2-for-4 with a run scored and five RBIs. Howerth, Reyes and Wieczorek added two hits apiece, as Monmouth tallied 14 hits as a team. Starting pitcher Sydney Underhill (12-10) lasted 4.2 innings in the circle. She allowed five unearned runs on seven hits, struck out four and walked one. Riley pitched the final 2.1 innings and was charged with two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out five and issuing one walk.
Manhattan concludes its eight-game road trip with a non-conference doubleheader at Columbia (11-26) on Wednesday. The twinbill is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
