Manhattan Picks Up Two At Home

Riverdale, NY - Manhattan softball (6-5) went 2-0 Wednesday in its home opener against Central Connecticut State (5-6) at Gaelic Park.

Junior pitcher Kayla McDermott (Garnerville, NY / North Rockland) earned both wins against the Blue Devils from the pitcher's circle. Freshman Annie Moore (Northridge, CA / El Camino Real) batted a team-high .667, with two hits and four RBI over the two games. Moore earned a slugging percentage of .833, and an on-base percentage of .750.



Manhattan 6, CCSU 5 (9 innings)

• With the Jaspers down 5-0 as late as the fourth inning, McDermott, coming into the game in relief, kept CCSU hitless in 6.0 innings pitched to pave the way for a Manhattan comeback. She struck out two and walked none.
• Daniela Chiorazzi (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) struck first for the Jaspers with a sacrifice fly to left field in the bottom of the fourth, scoring teammate Lauren Pitney (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's).
• Moore added two more in the bottom of the fifth, picking up two RBI with a single to center field, making the score 5-3. 
• With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Chioarzzi was back at it, nabbing another two RBI with a single to left field and tying the game at 5-5. Teammate Adriana Gambino (Stamford, CT / Westhill) flied out to center field on the next at bat as the Jaspers and Blue Devils headed into extra innings.
• Against McDermott, CCSU went three up, three down in the eighth. In the bottom of the inning, starting pitcher Carley Storker, originally relieved in the seventh, returned to the game for the Blue Devils. She held the Jaspers to one hit on the way to the ninth.
• Manhattan once again forced three outs in three batters in the top of the ninth, holding the score at 5-5. Up first in the bottom of the innings, Moore doubled to center field, giving the Jaspers a runner in scoring position. On the next at bat, junior Christine Gebhardt (Middletown, NJ / Middletown North) knocked a single to left field, scoring Moore and securing the W for Manhattan.
• Chiorazzi finished the game with a team-high three RBI, which was also a team-best for the day.

Manhattan 3, CCSU 2

• It was another close one for the Jaspers in game two, with McDermott starting the contest in the pitcher's circle. 
• The Blue Devils once again found themselves with an early lead, up 1-0 in the second inning after Alexa Milus hit a sac fly to left field, scoring teammate Sarah Ogilvie.
• Gambino tied the game in the third, gaining an RBI on a ground out to first that that scored Kat Prevo (San Diego, CA / Our Lady of Peace).
• Gambino came up big again in the fifth, doubling to right center and scoring Moore, making it 2-1 Jaspers. Megan Gillooley (Clifton Park, NY / Shenendehowa) followed with an RBI single of her own, this time up the middle, scoring Gambino and making it 3-1.
• Sydney Bolan homered for CCSU in the sixth, closing the gap to 3-2, but the Jaspers turned a double play three batters later maintain the advantage. 
• With the Blue Devils hoping to stay alive in the seventh, McDermott held them hitless, allowing just one baserunner on a walk. Guilianna Hathaway ended the game by grounding out to McDermott and giving Manhattan their second come-from-behind win of the day. 
• Gambino finished the match-up with a team-high two RBI, while Gilooley went 2-3 in the game.
• McDermott is now 2-2 on the year.

Up Next:
The Jaspers head to Northern California to take on Bucknell and St. Mary's starting Friday, March 15.