SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH YALE

GAME 2 BOXSCORE

Bronx, NY (March 19, 2005)- Manhattan pounded out 15 hits on the way to a 10-2, six inning, win over Yale in the first game of a double header played at Fordham University, and nearly completed the sweep, falling 5-4 in the nightcap. Junior Kiera Fox went a combined 7-9 for the twin bill, with four RBI.

In the first game, the Lady Jaspers got on the board in the bottom the second, scoring four runs, all with two outs and sending all nine batters to the plate. Fox started the rally with a solo home run to right center to give Manhattan a 1-0 lead. Following the round tripper, the next five batters all reached on four singles and bases loaded walk to chase home three more runs. Stefanie Gozdziewski tallied the first RBI with an RBI walk, and Liz Strein plated two more with a 2 RBI single.

The Lady Jaspers added two more in the bottom of the third, as Jen McCracken led off with a single, and came around to score as Michelle Gutierrez followed with double to right center, the first of her collegiate career. Margaret LaFex pinch ran for Gutierrez and scored as the next batter, Fox, doubled off the left centerfield wall.

Manhattan went up 7-0 after scoring a run on a McCracken RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, and the Lady Jaspers cruised into the top of the sixth, before Yale tallied two runs on three hits to make the score 7-2.

But in the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Jasper ended the game with a three runs as Tina Buyea plated Strein with an RBI double, Gutierrez singled home Buyea, and McCracken later scored on a Yale error. That run invoked the eight-run rule, ending the game.

Jill Medea pitched all six innings for the win. She posted four strikeouts.

The second game looked like it might be a repeat of the first as the Lady Jasper bats stayed hot, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second to take the early lead for the second straight game. In the inning, Fox and Marina Ysaac each tallied RBI singles.

In this game, however, the Bulldogs would respond, plating a run in the third and two more in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead.

But the Lady Jaspers would not wilt, regaining the lead right away with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame. With two outs, Gozdziewski singled, and came around to score when the Yale center fielder misplayed Gutierrez's single. Kerry Cook would replace Gutierrez as a pinch runner, before Fox plated her with a single to left.

This time, things would not go Manhattan's way, as Yale scored twice in the top of the sixth, and the Lady Jaspers could not muster a final rally.

Kristin Gelsleichter went the first six innings for Manhattan, striking out four, and Liz Pennino pitched a hitless seventh, posting one strikeout.