Miami, FL (March 12, 2005)- Manhattan led for most of the game, but could not complete the upset, falling to Florida Atlantic University, 9-8, in eight innings this afternoon at the Blue and Gold Coca-Cola Classic on the Florida International University campus.
Kiera Fox went 3-4 with a grand slam to pace the Lady Jaspers.
Manhattan burst out of the gates in the top of the first, as
Jennifer McCracken, Tina Buyea, and
Michelle Gutierrez each worked two out walks to load the bases for Fox, who cleared them with one swing, sending the ball over the left-center field fence for a grand slam and an early, 4-0 lead.
The Owls scored once in the first and twice in the second to pull within one, 4-3, before the Lady Jaspers bats came alive once again in the top of the third. After a Buyea leadoff walk and an out, Fox almost went deep a second time, putting the ball off the right-center field fence for a double, putting runners on second and third with one out.
Erika Kostik then singled up the middle, plating Buyea and Fox, and chasing the Owls' starting pitcher. Kostik came around to score on a FAU error later in the inning to give Manhattan a 7-3 lead.
Jill Medea reliever Lady Jasper starter
Kristin Gelsleichter in the fourth and held FAU at bay until the Owls scratched out two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to knot the score at 7-7, sending the game into extra frames.
In the eighth, the international tie-breaker was instituted, putting a runner on second to start each team's half inning.
Deirdre Langan singled home Fox to put Manhattan up one, 8-7, but a leadoff triple by FAU in the bottom of the inning knotted the score, and the winning run scored on a failed rundown.
Langan went 3-3 with an RBI and a walk, all collegiate firsts, while Kostik went 2-4 with two RBI, as Manhattan's 6,7, and 8 hitters went a combined 8-11 with seven RBI and four runs scored.
Medea went the final 5.1 innings, striking out four, while Gelsleichter went the first two.
