Lady Jaspers Split Two On First Day of Rebel Games

Manhattan-Buffalo Box Score 

Manhattan-La Salle Box Score

KISSIMMEE, Fla. ? It was truly a tale of two games for the Manhattan College softball team on the first day of the Rebel Spring Games.  The Lady Jaspers (2-4) committed four errors while getting no-hit in an 8-0 loss to Buffalo (12-6) in their first game of the day, then rebounded for a 9-0 victory over La Salle (1-7) later on Saturday at the Osceola County Sports Complex.  Ashley Rampino (Manalapan, N.J.) tossed a two-hitter to earn the victory against La Salle.

In game one, Buffalo got on the board with three unearned runs in the top of the first inning.  After Candice Sheehan singled leading off the game, back-to-back Manhattan errors resulted in the Bulls' first run.  Kristin Waldron's bunt single loaded the bases with nobody out, then another run came across on Manhattan's third error of the inning.  Terese Diaz walked with the bases loaded to give the Bulls a 3-0 lead.

Buffalo added two runs on Sharon Barr's single in the top of the second, then a Manhattan error leading off the top of the fourth sparked another two-run Buffalo rally.  The Bulls plated another run in the top of the fifth, then Barr (5-4) completed her masterpiece in the circle by retiring the Lady Jaspers in order in the bottom half of the inning.  The contest was called after five because of the eight-run mercy rule.

The only base runner Barr allowed came on an error with one out in the third.  She struck out five and also went 2-for-3 with three RBIs at the plate.  Sheehan and Waldron also had two hits for the Bulls, while Sheehan, Waldron and Alexandra Bejerano all scored two runs. 

Erika Sullivan (Bay Shore, N.Y.) (0-3) went the distance for the Lady Jaspers.  She allowed eight hits, struck out one and walked two.  Only four of Buffalo's eight runs in the game were earned.

Against La Salle, Manhattan's bats came alive immediately, as the Lady Jaspers put up a three-spot in the top of the first.  Kristina Walraven (Thompson Ridge, N.Y.) hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a sacrifice, and scored on an RBI double by Lyndzie Phillips (Indianapolis, Ind.).  Phillips scored on a Kelly Murray (Leominster, Mass.) single, then the Lady Jaspers added a third run when Jaci Rahey (West Milford, N.J.) came across on a passed ball.

That was all the run support Rampino needed in her first start in the circle this year.  She allowed only a double to Gina Massaro in the bottom of the first and a single by Rebecca Turygan leading off the bottom of the third.  Following Turygan's single, Rampino retired the next nine Explorers in a row.

Rampino's leadoff single started another Manhattan rally in the top of the sixth.  After Phillips singled and Rahey walked to load the bases, Murray whacked a two-run single that made it 5-0 in favor of the Lady Jaspers.  Murray was thrown out trying to steal second, but walks to Melissa Cascio (Kings Park, N.Y.) and Kaitlin Rodriguez (Dumont, N.J.) again loaded the bases for Walraven.  La Salle pitcher Kristin Paoletti issued her third and fourth consecutive walks to Walraven and Melissa Donnelly (Long Beach, N.Y.) to increase Manhattan's lead to 7-0.  The Lady Jaspers added two unearned runs when Rampino reached on an error, then Rampino retired the Explorers in order after a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth to finish off the 9-0 victory.

The Lady Jaspers collected just six hits as a team in the game.  Phillips and Murray each had two hits, while Murray also drove in three runs. Walraven, Phillips and Rahey each scored twice in game two.  Rampino (1-0) went the distance in the circle, as the Lady Jaspers snapped their four-game losing streak.

Massaro (0-2) pitched the first four innings for La Salle and took the loss.  She yielded three runs (two earned) and three hits while striking out three and walking two.  Paoletti went the final two innings, giving up six runs (four earned) and three hits while walking five.