EDISON, N.J. — Manhattan Softball is on a five-game winning streak, and rookie center fielder Brianna Estevez is a big reason why. Across Manhattan's 5-0 week, which included sweeps over Sacred Heart and Saint Peter's, Estevez batted .428, drove in three runs and is now batting .291 on the season which is the second best clip on the Jaspers.
"Brianna had one hell of a week for our team," said Manhattan head coach Bridget Hurlman. "From making game-saving catches in the outfield to big offensive contributions, it was awesome to watch her shine. Bri is a special player and I know this is just the beginning for her with many more accolades to come. This also marks a very exciting step forward for our program to be back to performing at a high level and winning weekly awards."
Estevez scored the only run in a 1-0 win in game one of Wednesday's double-header at Sacred Heart. The Perth Amboy, New Jersey native was brought home on a bases-loaded walk for Jamie Falotico in the fourth inning.
In the seventh inning, Estevez came up with a mesmerizing diving catch in center field that preserved the Jaspers' 1-0 lead.
Estevez was clutch in Friday's series-opening win over Saint Peter's, finishing 2-3 at the plate with a pair of runs batted in thanks to her two-run home run in the fifth inning. The blast was her first career home run, setting the tone for a productive weekend against the Peacocks.
In Sunday's memorable double-header sweep of Saint Peter's, Estevez went 4-6 at the plate with a double, two runs scored and a stolen base. She scored the game-tying run during the Jaspers' 2-1 walk-off win in game one, touching home plate before Anissa Villalobos came home to score the winning run on Sophia Kiseloski's 2-RBI single.
Manhattan is in the midst of its best stretch in four years with five straight wins. The Jaspers sit in seventh place in the MAAC standings, and are right in the thick of qualifying for the 8-team MAAC Championship.
The Jaspers will return to its non-conference slate for a standalone road game at Columbia (14-15, 7-5 Ivy) at 4 pm on Wednesday, which will be available for streaming on ESPN+. Then, another huge MAAC series awaits the Jaspers next weekend at Iona (19-14, 13-3 MAAC), with a double-header on Friday and the series finale on Saturday.
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