Manhattan University Athletics

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score 

RIVERDALE, N.Y. ? Danielle Just (Woodcliff Lake, N.J.) made her final appearance at Gaelic Park a memorable one.  With the first game of the Senior Day doubleheader against Rider tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh, the senior delivered a walk-off single that gave the Lady Jaspers (18-24, 10-4 MAAC) a 5-4 victory that clinched a place in next weekend's Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament.  Rider (15-31, 7-7 MAAC) earned a split with a 7-1 victory in game two.

Rider strung together three singles to score a run in the top of the first inning in game one, but Ashley Rampino (Manalapan, N.J.) belted a two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning to put the Lady Jaspers in front.  Manhattan increased its lead to 4-1 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth.  Nicole Michel (Massapequa, N.Y.) started the inning off with a walk, then Kara Cokeley (Pearl River, N.Y.) beat out a bunt in front of the plate to put two runners on with nobody out.  After Melissa Cascio (Kings Park, N.Y.) walked to load the bases, Michel scored when Amanda Genovese (Bethany, Conn.) reached on an error.  The Lady Jaspers added another run when Melissa Donnelly (Long Beach, N.Y.) hit into a fielder's choice.

The Broncs inched closer with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth.  The big blow in the rally was a two-run double off the bat of Megan Kozlowski.

After Rampino pitched a solid first six innings, Donnelly was called upon in the seventh to get the save.  She quickly got the first two outs before Allyson Melia laced a triple that was just fair down the right field line.  Amanda Centeno followed with an RBI double to tie the game.  After Candice Harris doubled to put the go-ahead run on third, Donnelly struck out Brittany Eckett to end the inning and keep the game tied.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Jaci Rahey (West Milford, N.J.) pinch hit for Erika Sullivan (Bay Shore, N.Y.).  She sent a dribbler down the first base line that stayed fair, then rolled into the corner for a ground-rule double.  Sullivan re-entered as a pinch runner, then the Broncs intentionally walked Rampino to set up the double play.  However, Just had other ideas, and she sent a single to center field that easily scored the winning run.  Sullivan was mobbed by her teammates as she crossed the plate to clinch Manhattan's first MAAC playoff berth in four seasons.

The Lady Jaspers were out-hit 11-6 in game one, and no Manhattan player had more than one hit.  Rampino tossed the first six innings in the circle, yielding three runs and eight hits while striking out one.  Donnelly (6-8) earned the win after giving up one run on three hits and striking out one in the seventh.

The top four hitters in Rider's lineup all had multi-hit games, led by Candice Harris's 4-for-4 effort.  Centeno went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Kozlowski was 1-for-3 with two RBIs.  Despite pitching well for the Broncs, Rachael Matreale (7-15) took the loss.  She surrendered five runs on six hits, struck out five and walked five in a 6.1-inning complete game.

Manhattan converted Kristina Walraven's (Thompson Ridge, N.Y.) walk into a run in the bottom of the first in game two.  Sullivan moved Walraven to third with a single to center, then the run came across on a sacrifice fly by Just.

Sullivan used double play balls to get out of trouble in both the top of the third and the top of fourth, and she held the Broncs to two hits through four innings.  However, her defense betrayed her in the fifth, as three Manhattan errors in the inning led to six unearned Rider runs.  A pair of runs came across on a bases loaded single by Brittany Eckett, then two more scored on Derrin Minunni's single to center.  The Broncs added another run in the sixth on an RBI single by Melia.

Manhattan had at least one baserunner in every inning, but the furthest anyone was able to advance after the first was second base, as the Lady Jaspers dropped a 7-1 decision.  The loss snapped Manhattan's seven-game winning streak and was just the Lady Jaspers' second in the last 12 games.

The Lady Jaspers were held to just five hits, as Sullivan went 2-for-4 at the plate.  Sullivan (5-9) took the loss in the circle and saw her personal five-game winning streak end.  She gave up seven hits, but only one of the seven runs she allowed was earned.  Sullivan also walked three and struck out one.  Rampino pitched a 1-2-3 seventh and recorded a strikeout.

Rider had seven hits in game two, as Minunni and Kozlowski each went 2-for-4 with an RBI.  Melia was 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, while Katy Mills scored two runs.  Matreale pitched the first two innings, giving up one run and one hit with two strikeouts and three walks, before Lauren Brunner tossed five scoreless innings of relief.  Brunner (4-4) scattered four Manhattan hits and struck out six.