Softball Splits on Day One

Greely, Colo. - The Manhattan softball team picked up their first win of the 2024 campaign with a 7-2 extra innings triumph over Northern Colorado before falling in the second game of the twin bill, 8-0, in the first day of the Colorado Classic at Gloria Rodriguez Field.

Game 1 – Manhattan 7, Northern Colorado 2 (F/8)

In the first ever meeting between the Jaspers and Bears, the two sides found themselves still knotted at zero after four innings of scoreless action. 

Manhattan struck first, driving in a run in the top of the fifth inning to break the deadlock after Lindsey Hoag was able to make it home off a passed ball. 

The Bears found an answer, using a two run two-run RBI from Sabrina Javorsky to take their lone lead of the game at 2-1. 

Still, the Jaspers had another response as a fielding error from the Bears allowed Gabriella Mazzotta to swipe home plate and tie the game at 2-2.

After two more scoreless frame, the sides headed to extra innings where the Jaspers put the game away for good as a fielder's choice from Villalobos let Lauren Rende advance to home and give the Jaspers the lead for good at 3-2. 

Manhattan kept up the pressure for the rest of the inning, scoring four more times of RBI from Hoag, Weir and Kaitlyn Flood to expand their lead to five at 7-2. 

The Bears would get one more chance to score in the bottom half of the inning, but Ava Metzger put the game away for good by forcing outs from all three Northern Colorado batters to lock up the Jaspers first win of the year. 

Hoag led the Manhattan offense with two RBI, two hits and two run while Weir and Anissa Villalobos each tallied one RBI. In the circle, Metzger picked up the win for the Jaspers, only allowing two hits in 3.2 innings of work. 

As for the Bears, they were led by Javorsky with three hits and two RBI. In the circle Erin Caverness was charged with the loss after allowing six runs with three earned across 7.1 innings. 

Game 2 - Northern Colorado 8, Manhattan 0 (F/5)

After a scoreless first inning, the Bears struck first, using an Allison Steinker home run to take an early 3-0 lead. The hosts added on four more runs before the inning ended to hold a commanding 7-0 lead. 

Later in the contest, the Bears got more insurance with a Steinker using a sacrifice fly to drive in another run and make it 8-0 and collect her game-leading fourth RBI of the day. 

In the circle, Isabelle DiNapoli left the Jaspers hitless on 76 pitches with five strikeouts in the five-inning contest. 

UP NEXT: The Jaspers are back in action tomorrow at 12 p.m. (MT)/2 p.m. (EST) to play Colorado State in the first game of a doubleheader during the second day of the Colorado Classic.  

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