It was the second game of the day for Manhattan, which fell to Bucknell in a tight 4-3 nine-inning contest in the morning. With Saturday's contests, the Jaspers move to 7-8 on the season.
Game 1: Bucknell 4, Manhattan 3 (9 innings)
- Manhattan's Kayla McDermott (Garnerville, NY / North Rockland) went the distance Saturday morning, facing 33 batters over nine innings and letting up just seven hits.
- Locked at 0-0 until the fourth inning, Bucknell scored in the top of the inning on a sacrifice fly to center field. When Manhattan took its turn at the plate in the bottom of the fourth, Lauren Pitney (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's) belted a one-run homer to center field to tie up the game at 1-1.
- Bucknell would get one more in the sixth, putting the Bison up 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh as the Japers fought to keep the game going.
- In the bottom of the inning, Adriana Gambino (Stamford, CT / Westhill) doubled down the right field line, then advanced to third on a ground out. Two batters later, junior Morgan Sgarlata (Oneida, NY / Herkimer County CC) singled to third base, driving in Gambino and forcing extra innings.
- Down again by one in the bottom of the eighth, the Jaspers came from behind to tie it 3-3, this time with Annie Moore (Northridge, CA / El Camino Real) doubling down the left field line to score Emma Kindblom (Wilbraham, MA / Wilbraham & Monson Academy), who was placed on second due to international tie-breaker rules.
- In the top of the ninth, the Bison went ahead when Anna Gimmestad reached first on an error off a sacrifice bunt, scoring a run. McDermott got out of the inning by forcing the next batter to pop it up and the final hitter to line into a double play.
- Bucknell pitcher Raeanne Geffert ensured the Jaspers were unable to make another comeback, earning three outs in three batters to secure the extra-inning victory for the Bison.
- Pitney picked up three RBI in the Jaspers' second game of the day, including another home run. Moore also homered in the game, while Christine Gebhardt (Middletown, NJ / Middletown North) added a double.
- The Jaspers jumped out to an early advantage, and went up 5-1 in the third inning when Sgarlata singled to center field to score Moore from second.
- Saint Mary's would close the gap over the next three innings, eventually tying the game in the bottom of the sixth after a throwing error by Manhattan advanced the Gaels' runner to third, and a second error allowed the runner to score. Relief pitcher Stephanie Kristo (San Jose, CA / Archbishop Mitty) secured outs from the next three batters, forcing the Gaels to leave two on as the teams headed into the seventh.
- Pinch hitting for Sgarlata in the seventh, Daniela Chiorazzi (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) singled down the left line to advance Gambino to scoring position.
- Also pinch hitting, Victoria Alonso (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) singled to to left field and advanced to second on the throw, scoring Gambino for the go-ahead run.
- Up next, Kindblom placed a sacrifice bunt down the first base line, scoring Chiorazzi from third and putting the Jaspers up 7-5.
- Kristo faced just three batters in the bottom of the seventh, securing the win for Manhattan. She took home the win, now 4-2 on the year.
Manhattan will face Saint Mary's a final time on Sunday, March 17 at 2:00 pm Eastern, 11:00 am Pacific.