KISSIMMEE, Fla. – After getting the day off on Tuesday, the ManhattanCollege softball team was back in action with a doubleheader against Columbia at the Rebel Spring Games on Wednesday. The Jaspers (6-10) notched a 6-2 victory in game one of the twinbill before the Lions (9-8) win game two, 4-3 in extra innings, at the Osceola County Softball Complex.
Manhattan was the visiting team in the opener, and the Jaspers struck early with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first. Emily Cutler (Bloomingdale, N.J.) led off the game with a double and Jocelin Whitmore (La Habra, Calif.) followed with a walk. After Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) reached on an error to load the bases, Cutler was thrown out at home on Elena Bowman's (San Mateo, Calif.) grounder to third. However, the Jaspers got on the board when Amanda Babcock (Haverstraw, N.Y.) and Amanda Paxson (Cedar Grove, N.J.) sent back-to-back ground balls to short, allowing Whitmore and Bowen to cross.
The Lions tied the game in the bottom of the first, with Alix Cook delivering an RBI single and another run scoring on a Manhattan error. It wouldn't be tied for long, though, as Meghan McDevitt (Nutley, N.J.) led off the second inning with a home run to right field. Bowen added an RBI double later in the inning to give the Jaspers a 4-2 advantage. Columbia rallied in the bottom of the second, loading the bases with two out, before Bowen induced a ground ball to get out of trouble. The Jaspers then extended their lead to 5-2 in the third, when Jen Keller (Woodridge, N.J.) connected on an RBI single.
It would remain 5-2 until the seventh, when Babcock and Paxson both singled to start the inning. Andi Stallard (Katy, Texas) bunted them into scoring position, then Keller walked to load the bases. Heather Leone (Brick, N.J.) was called upon to pinch hit with the bases juiced, and she worked a walk to drive in a run. Bowen, who allowed just two hits after the second inning, gave up a harmless one-out single in the bottom half of the inning before the Jaspers finished off the 6-2 victory.
Bowen and Keller each had two hits in game one. Whitmore went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, while Babcock also scored a pair of runs. She finished 1-for-2 while also collecting an RBI. Bowen (4-2) earned her team-leading fourth win of the season in the circle after yielding just two runs (one earned) and scattering seven hits in a complete-game effort. She also struck out one and walked two.
Emily Snodgrass had a three-hit effort for Columbia, going 3-for-4 with a run scored. Emily Caruthers added a pair of hits while also scoring a run. Brooke Darling (4-3) took the loss after surrendering four runs (two earned) on two hits and walking one over the first 1.2 innings. Tessa Kroll tossed 5.1 innings of relief, giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits while striking out four and walking six.
With the home and road designations swapped in game two, Columbia immediately jumped out in front, putting up a three-spot in the top of the first. Caruthers opened the game with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, took third on a base hit by Alix Cook, and scored when Snodgrass reached on an error. After Kayla Shimoda walked to load the bases with two out, Macy Shrum roped a single to knock in a pair and give the Lions a 3-0 lead.
Manhattan got one back in the bottom half of the inning. After Anna Gallacher (New Fairfield, Conn.) drew a walk, Bowen and Bowman followed with singles to load the bases with one out. Babcock then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, pushing the run across. The Jaspers then took advantage of some poor Columbia defense to tie the game in the bottom of the second. McDevitt led off the inning with a single and later scored on an error, while Cutler scored the tying run on the Lions' third miscue of the inning.
From there, though, the pitchers took over, matching zeroes for the next six frames. Manhattan's best chance to score was in the fifth, when it loaded the bases with one out. However, Columbia hurler Emily Kenyon got a strikeout and a fly out to keep the game tied. The Lions had a chance of their own in the top of the sixth, putting runners on second and third with one down before Amy Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) shut the door with a line drive to third and a fly ball to right.
Once the contest reached extra innings, the international tiebreaker rule was put into effect, meaning each half-inning would start with a runner on second base. After the Lions failed to score in the top of the eighth, Sydney Weedon (Santa Ana, Calif.) was safe for a bunt single leading off the Manhattan half of the inning. With the winning run now 60 feet away, Keller popped to third for the first out. Cutler was up next and she sent a shot towards shortstop and McDevitt, the runner placed on base, tried to score. However, she was cut down at home for the second out. Gallacher then drew a walk to load the bases, but Bowen's deep fly ball to center was caught on the warning track, ending the inning.
Columbia finally broke the tie in the top of the ninth. After Caruthers was sacrificed over to third, Alix Cook was hit by a pitch. The run then scored on a groundout by Snodgrass. Now trailing 4-3, Manhattan moved Bowen to third on a bunt. However, the Jaspers were unable to bring her home, as Babcock popped up and Paxson flied to right, giving the Lions the victory.
Bowen went 2-for-5 at the plate in game two, while McDevitt was 2-for-4 with a run scored. As a team, Manhattan collected eight hits in the contest. Erin Hamm (Collegeville, Pa.) got the start in the circle and lasted five innings. She allowed three runs (one earned) on eight hits, struck out three and walked two. Bright (2-4) took the loss after yielding one unearned run and one hit while walking one over four innings.
Caruthers had another three-hit effort in game two, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Shrum was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Snodgrass went 1-for-4 with a run scored and two driven in. Starting pitcher Kalli Schultea worked the first four innings, surrendering three runs (one earned) and five hits, striking out two and walking two. Kenyon (3-2) earned the win after giving up just three hits and two walks while also posting two strikeouts in five innings of shutout relief.
Manhattan and Columbia will meet again for a doubleheader at Gaelic Park on Tuesday. First, though, the Jaspers conclude their stint at the Rebel Spring Games with a twinbill against Green Bay (4-11) on Thursday. Game one is scheduled to get underway at 11 a.m.