Manhattan-Holy Cross Box Score
Manhattan-South Dakota Box Score
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Manhattan College softball team ran into a pair of hot pitchers on Saturday morning. As a result, the Lady Jaspers' offense was never able to get going on the team's second day of action at the Rebel Spring Games. Manhattan (3-3) dropped an 8-0 decision to Holy Cross (3-6), then lost to South Dakota (7-8) by a 4-1 count at the Osceola County Sports Complex.
Against Holy Cross, the Lady Jaspers threatened immediately, as Kristina Walraven (Thompson Ridge, N.Y.) and Monica Evangelista (Cedar Grove, N.J.) belted back-to-back singles leading off the game. However, Manhattan failed to score, as Holy Cross starter Julia Barrett got a popup and a pair of strikeouts to end the inning. In the bottom of the first, Caitlin Belanger slammed a leadoff home run to center field that put the Crusaders in front 1-0.
Holy Cross then broke the game open with a six-spot in the bottom of the second. The big blow in the inning was a three-run homer by Keeley Seniuk, which was followed by a solo shot from Sam Fregenti.
Barrett, meanwhile, retired 10 straight Manhattan hitters before walking Jaci Rahey (West Milford, N.J.) with one down in the fourth. Nicole Michel (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) followed with singles to load the bases, but Barrett again got herself out of trouble with a pair of strikeouts. After the Lady Jaspers were retired in the top of the fifth, Holy Cross got an RBI double from Kelliner Croushere in the bottom half of the inning to end the game.
The back-to-back singles in the first and fourth were Manhattan's only hits of the game. Erika Sullivan (Bay Shore, N.Y.) (1-1) started in the circle and took the loss. She gave up seven runs on six hits, struck out one and walked two in two innings of work. Bowen pitched the final 2.1 innings, surrendering one run on four hits with a pair of strikeouts and two walks.
The Crusaders had 10 hits in the game, led by Belanger's 3-for-3 performance. She also scored two runs and drove in a pair. Tiffany Medwid went 2-for-2 at the plate, while Seniuk had a three-run homer and two walks in three plate appearances. Barrett (2-0) gave up just four singles in the five-inning shutout. She struck out five and walked one.
Manhattan's game against South Dakota was more of a pitchers' duel, as the Lady Jaspers played the regulation seven innings for the first time this season.
South Dakota got on the board first on Mel Johnson's RBI single in the top of the third, but Manhattan rallied to tie the game in the fifth. The rally started on Walraven's two-out single. After Evangelista walked, Donnelly ripped a single to center that scored Walraven. However, Evangelista was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play, ending the inning.
It remained 1-1 until the top of the seventh, when the Coyotes scored three times. Katelyn Wudel singled with one out and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After Lindsey Boyd was hit by a pitch, Stephanie Hall walked to load the bases. The runners then moved up on a passed ball to give South Dakota the lead. Johnson followed with a two-run single that increased the Coyotes' advantage to 4-1. The Lady Jaspers went down in order in the bottom of the seventh.
Walraven went 2-for-4 and scored Manhattan's only run against South Dakota. Donnelly was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Ashley Rampino (Manalapan, N.J.) (1-1) tossed a complete game in the circle. She gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits, struck out three and walked two.
For South Dakota, Johnson was 3-for-4 with three RBIs. She also pitched a complete game, surrendering one run on five hits. Johnson (3-2) struck out eight and walked three. Hall went 2-for-2 at the plate and Boyd scored two runs for the Coyotes.
The Lady Jaspers are back in action with a pair of games on Sunday. Manhattan takes on Butler (2-5) at 3 p.m. and faces Youngstown State (8-4) at 5 p.m.
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