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LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - The Manhattan College softball team began its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) schedule with a doubleheader at Rider on Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, the Jaspers (1-20, 0-2 MAAC) were unable to come up with the big hits, as the Broncs (11-18-1, 2-0 MAAC) notched a pair of victories at Herb & Joan Young Field. Rider won the first game by a 3-0 count, then posted a 6-4 triumph in the nightcap.
Game one started off as a pitchers' duel, as Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) and Rachael Matreale both threw up zeroes until the fifth. It looked like Rider would take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but Alyssa Paul was ruled out at home trying to score on Gina McCool's double to left center. The next two Rider hitters walked to load the bases with two down, but Bowen got out of the inning by striking out Samantha Mayer. Rider threatened again in the fourth, putting runners on first and second with one out for pinch hitter Krysti Maronski. Maronski hit a sharp line drive right at first baseman Mickayla Romero (Las Vegas, Nev.), who made the catch, then stepped on the bag to complete the inning-ending double play and keep the game scoreless.
However, the Broncs did break through for a run in the fifth. Lisa Blanton reached on an infield single leading off the inning, and she moved to second on Kehli Washington's sacrifice bunt. After a pair of walks loaded the bases, Sam Pugh lifted a sacrifice fly to right that gave Rider a 1-0 lead.
The Jaspers put a runner on third with one out in the top of the sixth, but Matreale induced a pair of popups to get out of the jam. Rider then added three insurance tallies in the bottom half of the inning. Lucy Higgins reached on an error to start the rally, then was pulled for pinch runner Heather Muscara. Muscara advanced to second on a wild pitch and took third on Blanton's infield single before scoring on a wild pitch. Paul was up next, and she delivered a two-run double to the gap in right center to make it 4-0. Matreale then retired the Jaspers in order for the only time in the game in the top of the seventh.
As a team, Manhattan collected just two hits in the first game, singles by Amanda Berrios (Carteret, N.J.) and Jocelin Whitmore (La Habra, Calif.). Bowen (1-6) took the loss after going the first 4.1 innings in the circle. She allowed one run on five hits, struck out one and walked two. Kelsi Redding (Tucson, Ariz.) finished up, yielding three unearned runs on two hits while striking out three and walking three over 1.2 innings.
Matreale tossed a complete game, two-hit shutout for the Broncs. She struck out seven and walked four. Offensively, Rider was led by Paul, who went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and Blanton, who was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Higgins also had two hits in game one.
In game two, the Broncs jumped in front early on Gina McCool's two-run double in the bottom of the first. Rider then stole a run in the second, as Muscara scored from second on an infield hit by Paul. The Jaspers got one back in the top of the third, though. Amanda Babcock (Haverstraw, N.Y.) started the inning with a double to center. Bowen was then hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. After Berrios bunted the runners over, Amanda Paxson (Cedar Grove, N.J.) hit a ground ball to second. Babcock came around on the groundout, trimming Rider's advantage to 3-1.
However, Rider made it 5-1 when Amanda Irving belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the third. The Broncs added another run in the fourth before the Jaspers responded with a three-spot in the top of the fifth. Once again, Babcock got the rally started, this time with a leadoff single to center. After Kelly Murray (Leominster, Mass.) drew a walk, Carla Velasquez (Miami, Fla.) connected for her first home run of the season, a long blast to center field that trimmed Manhattan's deficit to two, 6-4. It would remain 6-4, though, as the Jaspers were unable to mount another rally over the final two innings.
Babcock had a solid effort in game two, going 2-for-2 and scoring a pair of runs. Velasquez notched three RBIs on her homer, and Paxson also drove in a run. Amy Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) (0-5) went the first three innings in the circle and took the loss. She surrendered five runs on 10 hits. Redding allowed one run on three hits over the final three innings. She struck out three and walked one.
Rider belted 13 hits in game two, led by Paul's 3-for-4 effort. She also scored two runs and drove in another. Kelhi Washington, Allysen Breeden and Muscara each had two hits in the contest, while Irving and McCool both collected a pair of RBIs. Matreale (10-6) pitched all 14 innings in the doubleheader. In the second game, she yielded four runs on five hits, struck out eight and walked three to earn her second win of the day.
After playing their first 21 contests away from home, the Jaspers finally take the field at Gaelic Park for the first time this season on Thursday afternoon, when Stony Brook (20-8) comes to town for a 2:30 p.m. doubleheader.
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