Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
Click here to purchase the 2011 Manhattan Softball Yearbook
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - The Manhattan College softball team saw its 2010 season come to an end with an extra-inning loss to Niagara in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament. As fate would have it, the Lady Jaspers and Purple Eagles drew each other to open the MAAC portion of the 2011 schedule. Manhattan (12-16, 1-1 MAAC) exacted some measure of revenge with a 3-2 victory in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, but the Purple Eagles (11-11, 1-1 MAAC) earned a split with a 13-2 win in game two at Niagara Field.
The Lady Jaspers struck early in game one, putting a run on the board in the top of the first. Jaci Rahey (West Milford, N.J.) knocked a two-out single and moved to second on an error, then Nicole Michel (Massapequa, N.Y.) delivered an RBI single to right center. After Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) reached on an infield single, Jen Keller (Woodridge, N.J.) singled to right field. However, Michel was thrown out trying to score from second on the play, ending the inning.
Niagara tied it in the bottom of the fourth when Kristin Sito tripled leading off the inning, then was driven home on a Teresa Healy single. However, the Lady Jaspers immediately regained the lead with an unearned tally in the top of the fifth. The Purple Eagles responded with an unearned run of their own in the bottom half of the inning to once again tie the game.
It remained 2-2 until the top of the seventh, when Manhattan was able to push another run across. Rahey got the rally started with a one-out double to left center. Michel followed with her second RBI hit of the game, a double down the left field line that put the Lady Jaspers back in front, 3-2. Erika Sullivan (Bay Shore, N.Y.) gave up just a meaningless two-out single in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the win.
Rahey, Michel and Bowen all went 2-for-3 at the plate in game one. Michel also had two RBIs, driving in Rahey each time. Overall, Manhattan had 10 hits in the contest. Sullivan (7-4) went the distance in the circle. She yielded two runs (one earned) on six hits, struck out four and walked one.
Becky Zill and Gabrielle Lustrinelli both had 2-for-2 efforts for the Purple Eagles, while Healy went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Sito was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Julie DiMatteo (1-5) took the loss after surrendering three runs (two earned) and 10 hits while striking out three and walking three in a complete game outing.
The Purple Eagles took control early in game two, putting up a four-spot in the bottom of the first. Zill lifted a two-run homer to left center, then Niagara added runs on a Hines double and a Manhattan error.
Manhattan cut its deficit in half with a pair of tallies in the top of the third. Melissa Cascio (Kings Park, N.Y.) drew a leadoff walk, then moved to second on Kristina Walraven's (Thompson Ridge, N.Y.) sacrifice bunt. Melissa Donnelly (Long Beach, N.Y.) followed with an RBI double to center that got the Lady Jaspers on the board. Manhattan added another run when Michel picked up her third RBI of the day with a double to left center that brought in Donnelly.
However, Niagara blew the game open with nine runs in the bottom half of the inning. Jennifer Hare and Kayla Hines got the rally started with back-to-back home runs, then Zill capped the spurt with a grand slam to left center. Manhattan put runners on the corners with one out in the top of the fifth, but was unable to get a run across, giving the Purple Eagles a 13-2 victory.
The Lady Jaspers had five hits in game two, led by Donnelly's 2-for-3 effort. She also had an RBI and scored a run. Ashley Rampino (Manalapan, N.J.) started in the circle for Manhattan and took the loss. Rampino (3-8) yielded four runs (two earned) on three hits, struck out one and walked two. Bowen relieved her and went 1.1 innings before Donnelly finished up. Donnelly allowed just one run on one hit and struck out two over 1.2 innings of work.
Zill, Hare and Hynes, the 4-5-6 hitters in Niagara's lineup went a combined 6-for-9 with six runs scored and 10 RBIs in the game. Zill drove in six runs on a pair of homers. Sito also scored twice and added two RBIs. Kim Bryson (6-4) earned the win, surrendering two runs on five hits, striking out eight and walking three over five innings.
Manhattan continues its Western New York swing with a visit to Canisius (13-11, 2-0 MAAC) for a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Sunday. The Griffs swept a twinbill with Saint Peter's on Saturday.
To follow Manhattan Athletics on Twitter, go to twitter.com/GoJaspers or visit Manhattan's Facebook fan page.
