Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The Manhattan College softball team took on Sacred Heart twice at the Seton Hall Pirate Classic on Saturday. The Lady Jaspers (5-11) notched a 10-8 victory over the Pioneers to conclude round robin play, but Sacred Heart (9-8) posted a 1-0 triumph when the teams met in the afternoon semifinals at Ivy Hill Park.
The Manhattan offense came alive early in the morning game, as the Lady Jaspers scored seven runs in the first three innings. Manhattan took a 2-0 lead on Nicole Michel's (Massapequa, N.Y.) double in the bottom of the first, but the Pioneers got those runs right back on a two-run homer by Liz Tsipouras.
However, Manhattan struck back with a four-spot in the top of the second. Jen Keller (Woodridge, N.J.) ripped a one out single, then Monica Evangelista (Cedar Grove, N.J.) walked and Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) reached on an infield single to load the bases. Two runs scored on a Sacred Heart error before Jaci Rahey (West Milford, N.J.) was intentionally walked to again load them up. After the Lady Jaspers added another tally on a fielder's choice, Kristina Walraven (Thompson Ridge, N.Y.) drew a bases loaded walk to make it 6-2 Lady Jaspers.
Sacred Heart put one run on the board in the bottom of the second, but Manhattan immediately regained its four-run advantage when Keller stole home in the top of the third. The Lady Jaspers then added three more in the sixth. With two down and runners on second and third, Amanda Babcock (Haverstraw, N.Y.) ripped a double to right. The runners scored easily, and the throw to third (in an attempt to get Babcock) went wild, allowing her to score the third run of the inning and increase Manhattan's lead to 10-3.
The Pioneers wouldn't go down quietly, as Sacred Heart rallied for five runs in the bottom half of the sixth. Nicole Sidor got the rally started with a two-run homer to left, and she came up again with the bases loaded and two down in a 10-8 game. However, this time she lined to second, ending the inning and preserving the Lady Jaspers' two-run advantage. That would be the final, as each team went down quietly in the seventh.
Michel went 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs, while Keller was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Erika Sullivan (Bay Shore, N.Y.) also scored twice, and Bowen had two of Manhattan's 11 hits. Sullivan (3-2) picked up the win after giving up five runs (four earned) and eight hits with a strikeout and two walks in five innings. Bowen allowed just two hits in 1.2 innings of scoreless relief to earn her first collegiate save.
For Sacred Heart, Sidor, Courtney Lee and Annie Dreher all went 2-for-4 at the plate. Sidor added two RBIs and two runs scored, while Tsipouras knocked in three runs. Jen Russell (5-4) went 5.2 innings, surrendering 10 runs (five earned) and 10 hits while striking out nine and walking four. Tsipouras and Taylor Lane combined to toss 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.
After the morning games concluded, the teams were seeded for the semifinals based on the three-game round robin standings. Manhattan, Sacred Heart and Seton Hall all went 2-1 (and 1-1 against the other two) in the tournament, but Seton Hall owned the second tiebreaker. As a result, the Pirates were awarded the No. 1 seed and a matchup with Lafayette, while the Lady Jaspers and Pioneers would play again in the other semifinal.
The second game was vastly different than the first, as neither team scored in the first, setting the tone for the entire contest. In the top of the second, Michel and Babcock both singled to give Manhattan runners on first and second with one out, but the runners were left stranded.
Sidor, Sacred Heart's pitcher in the nightcap, then gave herself a lead with a two-out solo homer in the bottom of the second. That was all she needed, as Manhattan only had two more base runners the rest of the way. She retired the side in order in the seventh to wrap up a four-hit shutout.
Melissa Donnelly (Long Beach, N.Y.) (0-3) pitched well, but suffered a tough-luck loss for Manhattan. She gave up just the one run and four hits, struck out one and walked two in five innings. Ashley Rampino (Manalapan, N.J.) pitched the sixth, striking out one and walking two.
Sidor (2-2) struck out 11 and didn't walk a batter in the game. Her solo home run was one of just four Sacred Heart hits in the contest.
The loss dropped Manhattan into the consolation game against Lafayette (1-17) at 10 a.m. on Sunday. The Lady Jaspers picked up a 6-4 win over the Leopards in their opening game of the tournament.
To follow Manhattan Athletics on Twitter, go to twitter.com/GoJaspers or visit Manhattan's Facebook fan page.
