Manhattan Falls Twice at Madeira Beach Invitational

Manhattan-Georgetown Box Score
Manhattan-Loyola Chicago Box Score

MADEIRA BEACH, FL – On Saturday, the Manhattan College softball team continued the Madeira Beach Invitational with matchups against Georgetown and Loyola Chicago.  After dropping a 5-4 decision to the Hoyas (2-10), the Jaspers (1-3) suffered a 12-2 loss to the Ramblers (8-0) at the Madeira Beach Softball Complex.

The Jaspers faced Georgetown in their first contest of the day.  The Hoyas scored three times in the bottom of the second before Manhattan cut its deficit to 3-2 with a pair of runs in the fourth.  Christine Gebhardt (Middletown, NJ) and Briana Matazinsky (Valley Falls, NY) each singled to start the rally, then Lauren Pitney (Ansonia, CT) walked to load the bases.  The next batter was Stephanie Reinhardt (Albany, NY), and she was hit by a pitch to force in a run.  Another run came across when Dominique Palagruto (Sewell, NJ) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, but Manhattan would leave the bases full.

Georgetown immediately responded with a two-spot in their half of the fourth, though, as Mallory Belknap and Theresa Kane each belted an RBI single.  It would remain that way until the seventh, when the Jaspers put together a late rally.  After Matazinsky was hit by a pitch with one out, Reinhardt crushed a two-run homer to make it 5-4.  Georgetown pitcher Katie Vannicola got Victoria Ross (Bloomfield, NJ) on a fly ball to right, though, giving the Hoyas the victory.

Matazinsky scored two of Manhattan's runs and had one of the Jaspers' three hits.  She also made the start in the circle and took the loss.  Matazinsky (1-1) allowed five runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 3.1 innings.  Danielle Gabriel (Island Heights, NJ) relieved her and tossed 2.2 shutout innings, surrendering two hits, walking two and striking out two.  Gebhardt finished 1-for-4 with a run scored, while Reinhardt contributed three RBIs.

Belknap went 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs for the Hoyas.  Kane added two RBIs, while Kelly Amen was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI.  Starting pitcher Anna Brooks Pacha (2-3) lasted 4.2 innings in the circle.  She yielded two runs on two hits, struck out seven and walked four.  Vannicola earned her second save after holding Manhattan to two runs on a hit and a walk in 2.1 innings.

In the Jaspers' second game of the day, Loyola Chicago quickly jumped in front with two runs in the top of the first before Manhattan got one of its own in the bottom half of the inning.  Shannon Puthe (Mullica Hill, NJ) led off with a double and scored on Gebhardt's single to right.  After the Ramblers added another tally in the top of the second, Alexa Dawid (Milford, CT) made it 3-2 with a single that knocked in Reinhardt.

However, Loyola Chicago scored two unearned runs in the top of the third to increase its lead to 5-2.  An outstanding catch by Puthe in center robbed the Ramblers of a two-run homer in the fourth, but Loyola Chicago erupted for a seven-spot in the top of the sixth to go up 12-2 and, after Manhattan went down in order, send the game to an early conclusion.

Six different Jaspers had hits in the game, with Puthe's leadoff double the only one going for extra bases.  Kayla McDermott (Garnerville, NY) (0-2) made the start in the circle and took the loss.  She surrendered three runs (two earned) on four hits, walked four and struck out one in two innings of work.  Stephanie Kristo (San Jose, CA) went three innings of relief, giving up four runs (two earned) on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts.  Gabriel allowed five runs on four hits and three walks in the sixth.

For the Ramblers, Shannon McGee finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs.  Erica Nagel was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Alyssa Mannucci finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs.  Keenan Dolezal (4-0) tossed a complete game, yielding two runs on six hits while striking out four and walking two.