Jaspers Pick Up MAAC Win At Canisius

Buffalo, NY - Lauren Pitney (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's) surpassed Manhattan softball's single-season walks record Saturday, now with 53 walks on the season. Pitney, who leads the nation in walks per game, beat her own record of 51, set last year, with her third walk in the Jaspers' first game against Canisius in Buffalo. 

Teammate Kat Prevo (San Diego, CA / Our Lady of Peace) led Manhattan with four hits in eight at bats for the two games, as the Jaspers fell 4-3 in the first and won 13-2 in the second contest. Manhattan is 20-24 overall this season and 7-9 in MAAC play. Canisius moves to 11-28 and 5-9 in the league. 

Game 1: Canisius 4, Manhattan 3

• The Golden Griffs took a 3-0 lead early in the first game, scoring in the bottom of the first and twice in the bottom of the second. 
• Freshman Jessie Rising (Little Egg Harbor, NJ / Pinelands), who started the game in the pitcher's circle for Manhattan, got the Jaspers on the board in the top of the fourth, doubling to left field to drive in teammate Adriana Gambino (Stamford, CT / Westhill) from second. 
• Manhattan's Nicole Williams (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's) entered the game in relief in the bottom of the fourth, down 3-1 with two runners on. Canisius would add another run to its total two batters later, but Williams would strike out the next two batters, both looking, to end the inning. 
• Manhattan rallied in the top of the seventh, sparked by a single to left field by Prevo. Pitney then walked to put two runners on for the Jaspers.
• Gebhardt then reached base on a fielding error in left field, notching two RBI and getting Manhattan within one. But she was called out trying to advance in the ensuing melee, ending the Jaspers' chance to tie it up. 
• Rising (7-10) went three innings for Manhattan, giving up four runs on eight hits and striking out two. Williams pitched the next three for the Jaspers, giving up just two hits and striking out four. 
• Gebhardt's two RBI led the squad, while Prevo had a team-best two hits.

Game 2: Manhattan 13, Canisius 2

• The Jaspers avenged the first-game loss with an offensive showcase in game two, matching their season-high of 13 runs.
• Starting pitcher Kayla McDermott (Garnerville, NY / North Rockland) went 6.0 innings for Manhattan, allowing six hits in that span and just two runs for her ninth win of the season.
• Up 1-0 in the top of the first after Gebhardt singled to send home Prevo, freshman Annie Moore (Northridge, CA / El Camino Real) put a three-run home run out of the park for a 4-0 lead. It was her fourth home run of the season and her second three-run homer in three games.
• Up 4-1 in the fifth, Daniela Chiorazzi (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) doubled to right field to drive in an RBI of her own, on her way to a game-high four. Victoria Alonso (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) followed up Chiorazzi's performance with a two-run homer, making it 7-1 Jaspers. It was Alonso's second home run of the year.
• Up 7-2 going into the top of the seventh, Manhattan scored six runs in the final inning. 
• First, Alonso scored on an throwing error. Then, Emma Kindblom (Wilbraham, MA / Wilbraham & Monson Academy) snuck home as Megan Gillooley (Clifton Park, NY / Shenendehowa) stole second and advanced to third on the throw. Gillooley then scored on a wild pitch. 
• Manhattan picked up its final three runs of the game when Chiorazzi doubled, her second of the game, for three RBI.
• Williams made her second appearance of the day in game two, facing three batters in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win for the Jaspers.

Up Next:
Manhattan remains upstate to face Niagara in a MAAC doubleheader starting at 11:00 am on Sunday, April 28.