Manhattan University Athletics

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

RIVERDALE, NY – On Tuesday afternoon, the Manhattan College softball team suffered a pair of losses against Wagner at Gaelic Park.  After falling 5-4 in the opener, the Jaspers (7-9) dropped a 3-1 decision to the Seahawks (4-13) in game two of the twinbill.  The contests were originally scheduled to take place at Wagner on Wednesday, but were moved and rescheduled because of field conditions, as well as the forecast of inclement weather.

The Jaspers wore special blue jerseys for the doubleheader in memory of Danni Kemp.  Kemp, a member of Stony Brook's softball team and a friend of many Manhattan players, passed away last week after a battle with brain cancer.

After leaving a pair of runners on base in each of the first two innings, the Jaspers broke through for a run in the third inning of game one.  Christine Gebhardt (Middletown, NJ) started the rally with a one-out single, then Lauren Pitney (Ansonia, CT) beat out an infield single before Jenn Vazquez (Fairfield, CT) delivered an RBI base hit up the middle.

Wagner tied it with a run in the top of the fourth before Manhattan responded with a two-spot in its half of the inning.  Five consecutive Jaspers singled to start the inning, with Alexa Dawid (Milford, CT) depositing a base hit to right field that tied the score at 2-2.  Shannon Puthe (Mullica Hill, NJ) was thrown out at third on the play, and Wagner tried to get Dawid moving up to second.  However, the throw went all the way to the wall in right field, allowing her to come across with the go-ahead run.  Dawid picked up another RBI in the sixth when she followed Puthe's infield single with a double just over the first baseman's glove.

However, the Seahawks rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 5-4 lead.  Karen Prihoda tied the game with a two-run double, then was thrown out at home while trying to score on Zoe Bender's single.  Bender moved to second on the throw before taking third on a wild pitch.  After Brianna Tredway drew a walk, Bender scored the go-ahead run on the back end of a double steal.  Wagner pitcher Morgan Brown then struck out the side in order in the bottom of the seventh to seal a 5-4 win for the Seahawks.

Dawid had three of the Jaspers' 13 hits in the contest, including Manhattan's only extra-base hit.  She scored a run and drove in two.  Puthe, Pitney and Vazquez added two hits apiece, while Vazquez picked up the Jaspers' only other RBI.  Briana Matazinsky (Valley Falls, NY) started in the circle and went 6.1 innings.  She allowed four runs on eight hits, struck out one and walked one.  Nicole Williams (Ansonia, CT) took the loss after yielding one run on one hit with a walk and a strikeout in 0.2 innings.

For Wagner, Prihoda finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Bender was 2-for-4 with a run scored.  Starting pitcher McKaleigh Goodale lasted four-plus innings in the circle.  She was charged with three runs (two earned) on 11 hits and a walk while also recording two strikeouts.  Brown earned the win in relief after surrendering one run on two hits, striking out four and walking one over two innings.

In game two, Wagner quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead after tallying a run in the first and two more in the second.  The Jaspers got one of those runs back in the bottom of the second, when Stephanie Reinhardt (Albany, NY) ripped a double to center that knocked in Vazquez, who had been issued a leadoff walk.

That's all the offense the Jaspers were able to muster off Brown, though.  Manhattan only collected a pair of hits—both by Matazinsky—and didn't get a runner past second base the rest of the way.  Manhattan put a pair of runners on when Matazinsky singled and Reinhardt walked in the bottom of the sixth, but Brown got a strikeout to end the inning before sending the Jaspers down in order in the seventh.

Matazinsky had two of Manhattan's five hits in game two.  Reinhardt and Gebhardt each roped a double, while Dawid added a double.  Stephanie Kristo (San Jose, CA) (2-2) got the start in the circle and took the loss.  She yielded three runs on five hits and two walks in 2.1 innings.  Kayla McDermott (Garnerville, NY) was excellent in 4.2 innings of scoreless relief.  She retired 14 of the 15 batters she faced, allowing just a one-out single in the third.  McDermott, who fanned three, recorded 11 straight outs to end the game.

Prihoda and Kat Holmes-Stall each tallied two hits, an RBI and a run scored in the contest.  Alyssa Tucker scored the other Wagner run, while Tredway registered an RBI.  Brown (4-2) picked up her second win of the twinbill after giving up just one run on five hits in a complete-game effort.  She struck out five and walked two.