EASTON, Pa. - The Manhattan College softball team suffered a pair of losses at Lafayette on Saturday. After notching a 3-0 victory over the Jaspers (1-18) in game one of the doubleheader, the Leopards (4-10) took game two at Metzgar Fields by an 8-7 margin.
Due to the threat of rain, the start of the twinbill was moved up an hour from 12 p.m. to 11 a.m. The contest started off as a pitchers' duel between Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) and Melissa Robinson. Each pitcher only allowed one hit through the first three innings (with Bowen getting Manhattan's hit), as the game moved into the fourth scoreless.
After the Jaspers didn't score in the top of the fourth, Jordan Parsons singled leadoff the bottom half of the inning. She was bunted over to second, then moved to third on a wild pitch. A walk by Lauren Murphy put runners on the corners with one out, and the Leopards recorded the game's first run when Parsons came across on the back end a double steal. Lafayette scored another run in the bottom of the fifth, then added an unearned tally in the sixth.
In the top of the seventh, Jen Keller (Woodridge, N.J.) got things started for the Jaspers with a leadoff single to left. She was erased on a fielder's choice, but Heather Leone (Brick, N.J.) then reached on an error, bringing the tying run to the plate with one down. However, Robinson induced a pair of flyouts to end the contest and seal the Leopards' 3-0 victory.
Bowen pitched well in defeat. She gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits, struck out one and walked one in six innings of work. Bowen also had one of the Jaspers' three hits in the contest, going 1-for-3 at the plate.
For Lafayette, Parsons was 1-for-2 with two runs scored, while Amy Gebhardt went 1-for-3 and scored the other run. Kristen Berger finished 1-for-2 with an RBI for the Leopards. Robinson struck out four and walked one in a three-hit shutout.
It had begun to rain by the start of game two, and the contest was played throughout a steady drizzle. Manhattan struck first with a run in the top of the second. Keller started the inning with a single to right, and she moved to second on a single by Mickayla Romero (Las Vegas, Nev.). After Leone bunted the runners over to second and third, Kelly Murray (Leominster, Mass.) drew a walk to load the bases. Bowen then lifted a sacrifice fly to center, giving the Jaspers a 1-0 lead.
The Jaspers added three more in the top of the third. Meghan McDevitt (Nutley, N.J.) got things started with a one-out single before Amanda Paxson (Cedar Grove, N.J.) walked. Keller was up next, and she delivered a base hit to left. McDevitt scored on the play, and Paxson also came around on an error by the Lafayette catcher, who was attempting to throw her out at third. The Jaspers picked up another unearned run in the inning to make it 4-0.
However, Lafayette responded with a six-spot in the bottom of the third. The big blow in the inning was Stacey Dorn's two-run single to center field. The Leopards wouldn't stay in front for long, though, as Manhattan immediately tied the game with two runs in the fourth. Bowen singled leading off the inning, moved to second on a sacrifice, and scored on McDevitt's double to center. Manhattan then tied it when McDevitt came across on Paxson's RBI single.
Manhattan regained the lead with an unearned tally in the top of the fifth. After Leone started the inning with an infield single, she was lifted for pinch runner Amanda Berrios (Carteret, N.J.). Murray then reached on an error, moving Berrios to second with nobody out. Bowen followed with a single to right, driving in Berrios with the go-ahead run.
It would remain 7-6 until the bottom of the seventh, when Parsons belted a two-run homer to give the lead back to Leopards. Robinson (3-6) then retired the Jaspers in order in the seventh to close out an 8-7 Lafayette victory.
As a team, the Jaspers collected 10 hits in game two. McDevitt and Keller both went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Bowen was 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs. Romero started in the circle and went 3.1 innings. She surrendered six runs (three earned) on five hits while striking out one and walking two. Bowen (1-5) took the loss after allowing two runs on four hits while striking out one and walking one over 2.2 innings.
Parsons and Gebhardt each had two hits for the Leopards in the nightcap. Parsons added two RBIs and two runs scored, while Gwen Turner also scored twice and Dorn knocked in a pair. Starting pitcher Alex Campanaro went 4.1 innings. She gave up seven runs (four earned) and nine hits, struck out three and walked three. Robinson relieved Campanaro in the fifth and recorded her second win of the day after yielding just one hit in 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. She struck out four and didn't walk a batter in game two.
The Jaspers have a week off before opening Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play next weekend. Manhattan visits Rider (7-15-1, 0-0 MAAC) for a 1 p.m. doubleheader next Saturday.
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