Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? The Manhattan College softball team visited Monmouth for a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon. The Lady Jaspers (8-20) dropped both contests, as the Hawks (17-9-1) posted a 7-1 victory in game one, then notched an 11-2 triumph in the nightcap at MU Softball Park.
Manhattan got on the board in the top of the first in game one. Ashley Rampino (Manalapan, N.J.) roped a two-out double to the gap in right center, then came around with the game's first run when Danielle Just (Woodcliff Lake, N.J.) reached on an error. Monmouth manufactured a run in the bottom of the first to tie the game. Lee Simonetti worked a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice, went to third on a single, and scored when Jessica Nicola hit into a fielder's choice.
The Hawks batted around in the bottom of the second, putting five runs on the board. The big blow was Emily De Long's grand slam just to the left of dead center field that put Monmouth up 5-1. The Hawks added a run on Chelsea Paprocki's RBI triple. Monmouth increased its lead to 7-1 in the bottom of the sixth on De Long's second home run of the game, a shot to straightaway center.
After being held to just two hits by Monmouth starter Melissa Mehrer over the first five innings, the Lady Jaspers threatened to score off reliever Abby Martin in the top of the sixth. Rampino and Just started the inning with back-to-back singles, and both runners moved up when Nicole Michel (Massapequa, N.Y.) grounded back to the pitcher. However, the rally died when Rampino was thrown out trying to score on an errant pitch. Martin got out of the inning when she got Kaitlin Rodriguez (Dumont, N.J.) to pop up.
The Lady Jaspers threatened again in the top of the seventh. Melissa Cascio (Kings Park, N.Y.) got the inning started with a single, then moved to second on a wild pitch. Melissa Donnelly (Long Beach, N.Y.) singled to give Manhattan runners on first and third with one out, but the Lady Jaspers failed to push another run across.
Manhattan belted six hits in the game, led by Rampino's 2-for-3 effort. Kristina Walraven (Thompson Ridge, N.Y.) went 0-for-3 in game one, ending her hitting streak at eight games. Donnelly (2-7) started in the circle and went the first three innings. She surrendered six runs (four earned) and six hits while walking two and striking out one. Rampino pitched three innings of relief, giving up one run and three hits with two strikeouts and three walks.
De Long went 2-for-3 with two home runs and five RBIs for the Hawks. Simonetti also scored twice for Monmouth. Mehrer (10-3) went five innings, giving up an unearned run and two hits while striking out four. Martin allowed four hits and struck out one over the final two innings.
Monmouth got on the board first in game two, putting up a three-spot in the bottom of the second. Manhattan responded immediately with a run in the top of the third. Erika Sullivan (Bay Shore, N.Y.) hit a two-out single, then scored when Rampino scorched a double to center.
The Hawks took advantage of a Manhattan error to notch a pair of unearned runs in the bottom half of the inning, but the Lady Jaspers again responded with a run in the top of the fourth. A walk, an error and a single loaded the bases for Amanda Berrios (Carteret, N.J.) with two down. Berrios sent a grounder to deep short, and Monmouth tried to get the out at third. The throw was late, however, allowing Carla Velasquez (Miami, Fla.) to score and cut the Lady Jaspers' deficit to 5-2.
Monmouth put the game out of reach with a four-spot in the bottom of the fourth. De Long started the rally with a triple and scored on Nicola's RBI double. After an RBI single by Paprocki, Martin sent a fly ball to right center field that carried in the wind and turned into a two-run triple that increased Monmouth's lead to 9-2. Simonetti singled up the middle leading off the bottom of the fifth, then De Long blasted her third home run of the afternoon. The two-run shot gave Monmouth an 11-2 lead, and the game was called at that point due to the eight-run mercy rule.
As a team, Manhattan had just four hits in game two. Sullivan, Rampino, Cascio and Donnelly each went 1-for-2, while Rampino added an RBI and Sullivan scored a run. Rampino (6-6) started in the circle and tossed the first three innings. She gave up five runs (three earned) and seven hits while striking out two and walking two. Sullivan finished up for the Lady Jaspers, pitching the last inning-plus.
Monmouth belted 14 hits as a team in the nightcap. Martin finished a homer short of the cycle, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. De Long went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and three runs scored, while Nicola was 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs. Simonetti also had two hits in game two for Monmouth. Kristine Sawlsville (6-6) threw a five-inning complete game in the circle. She yielded two runs (one earned) and four hits while striking out seven and walking one.
The Lady Jaspers have Easter Weekend off before resuming play with a non-conference doubleheader at Albany (19-9) on Tuesday. The twinbill is set to begin at 3 p.m.
