Manhattan-Holy Cross Box Score
Manhattan-Providence Box Score
STONY BROOK, N.Y. - The Manhattan College softball team concluded action at the Stony Brook Invitational with a pair of games on Sunday. After suffering a 6-5 loss on a walk-off home run by Holy Cross (6-8), the Jaspers (5-7) dropped a 6-0 decision to Providence (8-12) at University Field.
The Jaspers got on the board first against Holy Cross, putting up a three-spot in the top of the second. Elena Bowman (San Mateo, Calif.) started the rally with her fifth home run of the season, a solo shot to left center. After Amanda Babcock (Haverstraw, N.Y.) walked and Amanda Paxson (Cedar Grove, N.J.) was hit by a pitch, Andi Stallard (Katy, Texas) bunted the runners to second and third. Babcock then scored on Meghan McDevitt's (Nutley, N.J.) groundout, while Paxson came across on an RBI single by Jen Keller (Woodridge, N.J.).
Holy Cross got one run back in the bottom of the second, then took the lead with three runs in the third. After Emma Keough delivered an RBI single, Sarah Free knocked in a pair with a single to center field. However, Free was thrown out trying to advance to second on the hit, ending the inning.
Manhattan evened the score on Jocelin Whitmore's (La Habra, Calif.) solo home run in the fifth, but the Crusaders again went in front with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Down to their final three outs, the Jaspers rallied to tie it once again in the top of the seventh. Emily Cutler (Bloomingdale, N.J.) reached on a bunt single, then advanced all the way to third on a wild pitch. Whitmore followed with a grounder to short that was deep enough to allow Cutler to come across with the tying run. However, Holy Cross won the game in the bottom of the seventh when Emily Jarvis belted a walk-off home run to center field.
As a team, Manhattan collected six hits in the game, as Paxson doubled to go along with the solo homers by Bowman and Whitmore. Whitmore also drove in a pair of runs. Kelsi Redding (Tucson, Ariz.) got the start in the circle and lasted five innings. She allowed five runs on four hits, walked six and struck out two. Amy Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) (2-2) took the loss after giving up one run and two hits while striking out two over 1.1 innings.
Keough was the only Crusader with a multi-hit effort, as Holy Cross managed six hits as a unit. Free went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Jarvis and Kelliner Croushore each scored twice. Gennifer Durham went the first 4.2 innings in the circle for Holy Cross. She surrendered four runs on five hits, struck out four and walked one. Julia Barrett (2-4) yielded just one run and one hit in 2.1 innings to earn the win. She also walked one.
Just like Saturday's matchup with Providence, the Jaspers fell into an early hole against the Friars again on Sunday. Providence scored a pair in the top of the first, as Kristie Dederick ripped an RBI double and Stephanie Kiesel contributed an RBI single. Kiesel then knocked a two-run single in the top of the fourth to increase the Friars' lead to 4-0.
That would prove to be more than enough offense for Providence starter Emily O'Keefe. She was perfect through four innings and didn't allow a base hit until there was one out in the bottom of the fifth. Bowman was hit by a pitch leading off the inning to break up the perfect game, then Paxson ended the no-hit bid with a one-out single. However, Manhattan left the runners stranded, as O'Keefe got a fielder's choice and a fly ball to end the inning.
Providence added two more runs on Sarah Kitterman's single in the top of the sixth, and Paxson's infield single in the seventh accounted for Manhattan's only other hit in the contest. O'Keefe (2-3) struck out one and walked one in the 6-0 shutout.
Erin Hamm (Collegeville, Pa.) made her first collegiate start in the circle and took the loss. She gave up six runs and nine hits, struck out four, and walked two in six innings. Redding pitched a perfect seventh, picking up a strikeout.
Dederick, Kiesel and Jessie Bryant each had two hits for the Friars. Dederick also scored two runs, while Kiesel added three RBIs. Kitterman recorded two RBIs as well, going 1-for-3 at the plate. As a team, Providence tallied nine hits in the game.
Up next, the Jaspers head to Florida for their annual stay at the Rebel Spring Games. Manhattan takes on Albany (5-8) in a doubleheader that gets underway at 1 p.m. on Monday.