Hamden, CT - Manhattan softball lost two games to Quinnipiac Saturday, March 30, the first MAAC doubleheader of the season for the Jaspers.
Catcher
Morgan Sgarlata (Oneida, NY / Herkimer County CC) tallied three RBI for Manhattan on the day, going 2-2 with one double.
Adriana Gambino (Stamford, CT / Westhill) went 3-5 for the Jaspers over two games, picking up a triple, while
Lauren Pitney (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's) also batted .600, hitting a home run and collecting two RBI.
Game 1: Quinnipiac 2, Manhattan 0
- Quinnipiac gained its two runs in the opening inning. The Bobcats, facing Manhattan pitcher Jessie Rising (Little Egg Harbor, NJ / Pinelands), secured four walks on their way to their first run, before Lo Yarnell singled to to right field, driving in the second. Kayla McDermott (Garnerville, NY / North Rockland) entered the game in relief for the Jaspers after Quinnipiac got two on the board, forcing a fielder's choice that ended the inning.
- In the pitcher's circle for the remainder of the game, McDermott no-hit the Bobcats over 5.1 innings, striking out two and walking just one.
- Manhattan saw a good chance to cut the lead in the second: Looking to capitalize on Gambino's triple to center field in the first at bat, she headed for home when the next batter put what would have been a SAC fly into left field. But Gambino was caught at the plate, earning the Jaspers' second out of the inning.
- Pinch hitting with two outs in the top of the seventh, Dominique Palagruto (Sewell, NJ / Washington Township) walked to give the Jaspers a base runner. In the next at bat, Megan Gillooley (Clifton Park, NY / Shenendehowa) singled to center, putting Palagruto in scoring position.
- Emma Kindblom (Wilbraham, MA / Wilbraham & Monson Academy) walked in the next at bat, loading the bases for Christine Gebhardt (Middletown, NJ / Middletown North). But Gebhardt was thwarted by Quinnipiac pitcher Kendall Brundett, who forced a pop up for the final out of the game.
- Rising earned the loss for Manhattan. She is now 3-5 on the year.
Game 2: Quinnipiac 8, Manhattan 5
- Pitney homered to open game two, giving the Jaspers an early 1-0 lead. It was her fifth home run of the year and the 24th of her career.
- Quinnipiac matched the run in the bottom of the second, scoring on a passed ball. Starting pitcher Stephanie Kristo (San Jose, CA / Archbishop Mitty) walked the next batter, before advancing both base runners on a wild pitch.
- McDermott entered the game in relief with two Bobcat runners in scoring position. The next batter, Rachel Marchuk, doubled, picking up two RBI and pushing the score to 3-1 Quinnipiac.
- Rebecca Drake doubled next, scoring Marchuk, followed by a double from Erin Larsen that also drove in a run and broke the game open at 5-1.
- The Jaspers picked up a run in the fourth when Pitney was hit by a pitch, scoring Gillooley. On the next at bat, Sgarlata doubled to left field, scoring all three base runners and tying the game at five apiece.
- Still tied in the bottom of the sixth, Quinnipiac took back the advantage when Alexis Otero homered with two on, putting the Bobcats up 8-5. It would prove to be the game winner.
- McDermott was tagged with the loss for Manhattan. She is 2-7 this season.
Up Next:
Manhattan will host Morgan State in a doubleheader Sunday at Gaelic Park. The first game will begin at 2:00 p.m.
