Jaspers Drop Doubleheader to Monmouth

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

West Long Branch, NJ - Junior Kat Prevo (San Diego, CA / Our Lady of Peace) went 2-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored as Manhattan fell twice to the Monmouth Hawks on Saturday, April 14 in West Long Branch, NJ. WIth the losses, Manahttan falls to 14-20 on the year and 0-8 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). Monmouth improves to 17-13, while staying undefeated in the MAAC at 8-0. 

Prevo put together a strong afternoon, with a .600 slugging percentage, and a team-high .571 on-base percentage in two games. She was complemented by teammate Lauren Pitney (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's), who went 4-8 on the day, with one run and a .500 on-base percentage. In Manhattan's past five games, Pitney has compiled a .563 batting average, with a slugging percentage of 1.375, four home runs, and eight RBIs. 

Game One:
Manhattan led the Hawks for three innings of the first match-up, after senior Shannon Puthe (Mullica Hill, NJ / Saint Joseph's) singled to right field in the fourth inning, scoring Prevo. The Jaspers took the 1-0 advantage into the bottom of the seventh, where pitcher Briana Matazinsky (Valley Falls, NY / Tamarac) got down to two outs with one Hawk runner on first, hoping to secure the last out and the shut out. 

But Monmouth's Deangie Jimenez singled to center field;  putting the winning run on first and advancing the tying run to third, just in time for Monmouth's Katie Harrington to triple to right field, scoring both and earning a walk-off victory. 

With the loss, Matazinsky fell to (5-8) in the season. She went 6.2 innings in game one, giving up seven hits and striking out five. 

Game Two:
Manhattan had more offensive power for game two, scoring three runs in both the third and fourth innings to quickly turn a 2-0 Monmouth lead to a 6-2 deficit for the Hawks. Prevo grabbed two RBIs during that scoring rally, while Victoria Ross (Bloomfield, NJ / Bloomfield) and Daniela Chiorazzi (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) also picked up RBIs of their own. 

Monmouth's Katie Baron clocked a two-run homer to center field to bring the Hawks back within two at 6-4 in the bottom of the fifth. To try and halt a comeback, pitcher Stephanie Kristo (San Jose, CA / Archbishop Mitty) came in to relieve starter Nicole Williams (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's), but after three batters faced, Williams came back in to finish out the inning.

Her return was met by a double down the left field line from Amanda Hopeck, who also scored two, tying the game at six-all. A fielding error that followed allowed what would be the winning run to cross home plate.

Pitcher Kayla McDermott (Garnerville, NY / North Rockland) pitched the last inning for the Jaspers, striking out two of four batters faced and allowing no runs. But Manhattan was unable to score again in the game, giving Monmouth the 7-6 win. Williams took the loss for the Jaspers, falling to 5-7 on the season.
 
Up Next:
The Jaspers will play Lafayette in a non-conference match-up on Wednesday, April 18 in Easton, PA.