Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
Clearwater, FL - Manhattan softball fell twice to Army in a doubleheader match-up on Wednesday, March 14, the first time so far this season the Jaspers have lost two games to the same opponent. Manhattan drops to 7-7 on the year, while the Black Knights improve to 5-13.
Manhattan appeared to have a dominant hold on game one, with starting pitcher
Briana Matazinsky (Valley Falls, NY / Tamarac) unhittable through three innings pitched. Down 2-0 to the Jaspers in the bottom of the fourth, Army's Amelia Trotter singled to center field for the Black Knight's first hit of the game. Two batters later, after Trotter advanced to second on a ground out, she was batted in by another single, this time to second base. The Black Knights tied the score at 2-2 when Ally Snelling hit an RBI double to left field.
The tie held until the bottom of the sixth, when Army's Lacey Swafford singled to right center for an RBI. Her teammate Madison Cole scored on a passed ball in the next play, giving the Black Knights a 4-2 advantage.
Kayla McDermott (Garnerville, NY / North Rockland) relieved Matazinsky with two outs and two on base, but Army was able to grab one more run before the inning was over. The score would hold, giving the Black Knights a 5-2 win. Matazinsky (3-2) would earn the loss for the Jaspers.
Army's offensive momentum rolled over into game two, with the Black Knights taking the win 6-0. Army scored four of their runs in the top of the second, with Swafford and Trotter each earning two RBIs. Swafford would grab another in the fourth inning after doubling to left field.
Playing right field in the second game, Matazinsky went 2-2 from the plate, earning half of the Jaspers' four hits. Senior
Shannon Puthe (Mullica Hill, NJ / Saint Joseph's) nabbed a double for the Jaspers, going 1-3 at bat.
Sophomore pitcher
Nicole Williams (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's) would earn the loss at the mound, pitching 3.2 innings. She is now 3-3 on the season. Junior
Stephanie Kristo (San Jose, CA / Archbishop Mitty) gave up just one run and three hits in relief.
Up Next:
The Jaspers look to rebound against George Mason (1 p.m.) and Stetson (6:30 p.m.) on Thursday, March 15 in DeLand, FL. Manhattan defeated Stetson this past weekend at the team's 2018 Stetson Invitational, also in DeLand.
