RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Manhattan led 5-2 after six innings, but Columbia struck for five runs to take a 7-5 lead and hold on for the 7-6 win on Wednesday at Gaelic Park.
Megan Hedlund extended Manhattan's (3-16) lead to 5-2 with an RBI single to left center in the bottom of the sixth.
Gabi Mills came around to score from first base on the hit that rolled to the wall.
Maddie Souza started the rally for Columbia (6-11) with an RBI groundout. Megan Ryono followed with an RBI double to left center. Jaden Hill tied the game at five with a single to center field that fell in front of
Gabriella Mazzotta. Cami Neal broke the tie with a two-out, two-run triple down the right-field line.
Manhattan got the tying run on and the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh. Before that,
Lauren Rende brought the Jaspers within one with a solo shot with one away in the seventh. Two batters later,
Marika Deemer worked a walk to bring up Hedlund representing the winning run. Hedlund put a ball in play, but it was a flyball to center that Souza caught to end the game.
The Jaspers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first.
Kaitlyn Flood, Deemer, and Hedlund recorded back-to-back-to-back RBI hits with one away. The Jaspers chased the Lions' starter, Sarah Mikami, after just one-third of an inning.
After the Lions got two back in the top of the third, Deemer blasted her team-leading third homer of the season in the bottom half to bring the lead back two, 4-2, for Manhattan.
In the circle for the Jaspers was
Sophia Kiseloski. The freshman held the Lions in check through six innings. Kiseloski didn't allow a baserunner through the first two innings and retired Columbia in order in the fourth and fifth innings. Kiseloski couldn't get the final out of the seventh, though, and stop the Lions from tying the game and taking the lead.
Deemer and Hedlund had multiple hits and drove in two runs apiece. Rende's homer was her second of the season.
Ryono had four RBI for the Lions. Neal finished with two RBI.
Manhattan returns to action on Saturday for a doubleheader at Hartford. Game one between the Jaspers and Hawks is set for noon.
For the latest on the Manhattan College softball program, follow the Jaspers on Twitter and Instagram @JaspersSoftball.
