GAME 2 BOXSCORE
Riverdale, NY (April 9, 2005)- Manhattan's Jill Medea threw a complete game, and Jennifer McCracken connected on two home runs to lead the Lady Jaspers to an 8-2 win over Saint Joseph's in the first game of a double header today at Gaelic Park in Manhattan's home opener. The Hawks' Lauren Cognigni threw a complete game one-hitter in the nightcap to pace Saint Joseph's to a 4-0 win.
In the first game, the Hawks scored two unearned runs in the top of the first to take a quick, 2-0, lead, taking advantage of three Manhattan errors. The Lady Jaspers responded in the bottom of the first, as Liz Strein and Stefanie Gozdziewski each drew walks to begin the game for Manhattan. After McCracken sacrificed them over to second and third, respectively, Deirdre Langan reached on an error to load the bases. Michelle Gutierrez followed with a double to right field to score Strein and Gozdziewski and knot the game at 2-2.
McCracken led off the bottom of the third with a home run to left center to give Manhattan a 3-2 lead. The Lady Jaspers added three more in the bottom of the fifth with an aggressive offense to take a 6-2 lead. After McCracken led off the inning with a single, Langan sacrificed her to second. Gutierrez followed with a single to put runners on the corners with one out. The next batter, Kiera Fox, laid down a suicide squeeze, scoring McCracken. Erika Kostik also executed the suicide squeeze to perfection, scoring pinch runner Margaret LaFex, and Fox followed her home on a throwing error.
McCracken iced the game in the bottom of the sixth, connecting on her second round tripper of the game, this time a two-run blast to right center.
Medea scattered eight hits while striking out five for her eighth win of the season, while McCracken went 3-3 with three RBI and three runs scored and Gutierrez went 3-4 with two RBI.
In the second game, Cognigni allowed just three base runners and no hits until Kerry Cook singled to left center to one out in the sixth. She walked just one and struck out nine.
The Hawks scored two runs off Manhattan starter Medea over five innings, and two more off reliever Liz Pennino, though just one run was earned.
Manhattan gets back in action Tuesday, April 12, when the Lady Jaspers travel to Teaneck, NJ for a double header at Farleigh Dickinson. The first game is slated to being at 6:00 p.m.
