RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Manhattan took two from Fairfield on Saturday afternoon at Gaelic Park. The Jaspers evened their record in MAAC play (2-2) with the doubleheader sweep and have won three games in a row overall.
Game 1: Manhattan 6, Fairfield 5 (9 Innings)
Lauren Rende was the hero in game one for the Jaspers. The shortstop hit a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to give Manhattan the win.
Rende deposited a 1-0 pitch from Alyssa Weinberg over the right-center field fence for her third homer of the season.
Gabriella Mazzotta and
Lindsey Hoag came around to score on the homer.
Rende's blast came after two Fairfield runs in the top of the ninth. Kaitlin Hoffman and Delaney Whieldon drove in the two runs for Fairfield.
Mazzotta tied the game at three in the bottom of the fifth with a double to left-center field that brought home Hoag.
Sophia Kiseloski tossed a complete game to collect the win. Kiseloski struck out six Stags.
Rende finished 3-5, and Mazzotta went 2-5 for the Jaspers.
Maddy Weir also had three hits and scored a run.
Hoffman had three RBI for the Stags in game one.
Game 2: Manhattan 5, Fairfield 2
Manhattan hit two more homers in the second game.
Gabriella Mazzotta hit a three-run homer to center field in the third, and
Tajiana Pickett hit a solo shot in the sixth.
Mazzotta's blast was the centerfielder's first of the season and staked Manhattan to a 3-0 lead in the third.
Anissa Villalobos and
Lindsey Hoag were aboard when Mazzotta connected.
Hoag made it 4-0 with an infield hit in the fourth.
The Stags cut the deficit in half in the fifth. A single, double, and another single brought home a pair of runs.
Makayla Veneziale relived
Marika Deemer with two away and one aboard and got a flyout to end the frame.
In the top of the sixth, Veneziale found herself in a jam. Fairfield had the first two batters reach and had runners on second and third with no outs. Veneziale retired the next three hitters in order to preserve the 4-2 lead.
Pickett's homer came with two away in the bottom of the sixth to centerfield.
Deemer picked up the win for Manhattan, and Veneziale picked up her first save of the season.
Manhattan returns to action on Thursday for a doubleheader against Stony Brook at Gaelic Park starting at 2 p.m.
For the latest on the Manhattan College softball program, follow the Jaspers on Twitter and Instagram @JaspersSoftball.
