Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
WEST POINT, N.Y. ? After winning just three of its first 17 games, the Manhattan College softball team (6-14) has now won three straight. Ashley Rampino (Manalapan, N.J.) earned a pair of wins in the circle and had a home run at the plate to lead the Lady Jaspers to a doubleheader sweep of Army (9-16) at the Army Softball Complex on Tuesday evening. Manhattan scored twice in the top of the seventh to claim an 8-7 victory in the first game, then posted a 5-3 triumph in the nightcap.
Rampino gave the Lady Jaspers a 1-0 lead in the third inning of game one when her single down the right field line knocked in Melissa Donnelly (Long Beach, N.Y.). Manhattan increased its lead to 2-0 in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Melissa Cascio (Kings Park, N.Y.) that scored Amanda Genovese (Bethany, Conn.), who had doubled to lead off the inning.
Army took the lead with a three-spot in the bottom of the fourth. Reanna Johnson belted a single to right center leading off the inning, then scored on Erin McClain's one-out single. With two out, Jennae Tomlinson roped a triple to right center that gave the Black Knights a 3-2 lead. The Black Knights added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to increase their advantage to 5-2.
Manhattan immediately responded, putting up four runs in the top of the sixth to take a 6-5 lead. Genovese got the rally started with a one-out single to left, and Cascio followed with a single. Army starter Jessi Muckelroy, who pitched a complete game in the Black Knights' 6-1 victory over the Lady Jaspers at the Rebel Spring Games, was then relieved by Nicole Talarczyk. The first batter Talarczyk faced was Donnelly, who belted a three-run homer to left that tied the game at 5-5. Kristina Walraven (Thompson Ridge, N.Y.) then reached on an error and scored the go-ahead run on Erika Sullivan's (Bay Shore, N.Y.) RBI double.
Rampino was then called upon to relieve Sullivan, who started game one in the circle. However, she yielded a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth that gave Army back the lead. Tomlinson tied the game with an RBI double, then scored on a groundout to put the Black Knights in front 7-6.
The Lady Jaspers rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to earn the win. Devon Gustafson (Peoria, Ariz.) and Genovese roped back-to-back singles to put the go-ahead run on base with one out. An Army error loaded the bases, then Donnelly hit into a fielder's choice that tied the game. Walraven walked to load the bases again before an Army error allowed pinch runner Kara Cokeley (Pearl River, N.Y.) to score and give Manhattan an 8-7 advantage. Rampino took advantage of her second opportunity to close out the game, allowing just a single and striking out two in the Army seventh.
The Lady Jaspers outhit Army 11-9 in game one. The bottom four hitters in the Manhattan lineup went a combined 8-for-14 in the game, as Gustafson, Genovese, Cascio and Donnelly each had two hits. Gustafson and Donnelly each scored twice, while Donnelly added four RBIs. Sullivan went the first five innings in the circle, yielding six hits and five runs (two earned), while striking out three. Rampino allowed two runs and three hits with two strikeouts and a walk over the final two innings of game one.
McClain, Tomlinson and Alexis AuBuchon each collected two hits in game one for the Black Knights. Tomlinson also knocked in a pair. Muckleroy gave up four runs and seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks in 5.1 innings. Shawna Bleyel (2-5) took the loss after yielding two unearned runs on two hits in 1.2 innings. She also struck out two and walked one.
In game two, Manhattan took a 1-0 lead on a wild pitch in the top of the first. Rampino smashed a solo home run to left field in the top of the third to double the Lady Jaspers' advantage. Army got a run back on Tomlinson's RBI single in the bottom of the fourth before Manhattan added a pair in the top of the fifth. Walraven got the rally started with a one-out double, then moved to third on a passed ball. She scored when Rampino reached on an error. Rampino later scored on Gustafson's RBI single.
Army used a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull within 4-3. Angela Deger reached on an error, then was replaced by pinch runner Natalia Gruenbaum. Gruenbaum scored on McClain's single to right, but McClain was thrown out at first when she went too far around the bag on the hit. The base running gaffe proved costly for the Black Knights, as the next batter, Rachael Duval belted a homer to left center that cut Manhattan's advantage to 4-3 instead of tying the game.
Manhattan added an insurance tally in the top of the seventh, then Rampino got around a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh to secure the victory. Rampino (5-3) went the distance in game two, giving up three runs (one earned) and five hits while striking out seven and walking three. She has five of the Lady Jaspers' six pitching victories this season.
Rampino also led Manhattan at the plate in game two. She was the only Lady Jasper with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Sullivan also scored twice. Manhattan outhit Army 7-5 in game two.
McClain had two of Army's five hits in the second game, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored. Beverly Nordin (0-5) lasted six innings in the circle. She surrendered four runs (two earned) and seven hits, struck out two and walked three. Bleyel pitched the seventh, giving up an unearned run and a walk while also notching a strikeout.
The Lady Jaspers, who have played 16 games in the last 11 days, now have five days off before returning to action. Manhattan visits Temple (2-18) for a doubleheader that gets underway at 12 p.m. on Sunday.
