Manhattan University Athletics

RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Already off to the best Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) start in program history, the Manhattan College softball team kept rolling on Saturday afternoon.  The Jaspers (14-14, 6-0 MAAC) erupted for 11 runs in the second inning en route to a 13-1 game one victory, then broke a 1-1 tie with a pair of two-run homers in the sixth inning of game two to complete a doubleheader sweep over Rider (6-30, 2-4 MAAC) with a 5-1 victory at Gaelic Park.  Manhattan has now won seven straight games overall.

“We're playing very well,” Head Coach Tom Pardalis said.  “We're hitting the ball well.  We're making all the plays defensively.  Our pitching is outstanding right now.  We're putting pressure on the other teams.”

After Amanda Babcock (Haverstraw, N.Y.) gave the Jaspers a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the first inning of game one, Manhattan sent 15 batters to the plate in the bottom of the second.  Rider walked the bases loaded, then Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) sent a grounder back to the circle.  Pitcher Ali Meagher tried to get the out at home, but the throw was off the mark and Sydney Weedon (Santa Ana, Calif.) scored on the error.  Elena Bowman (San Mateo, Calif.) walked to load the bases again before Babcock delivered an RBI single to right field.

Amanda Paxson (Cedar Grove, N.J.) was up next, and she hit a grounder towards short.  However, catcher Allysen Breeden couldn't handle the throw, allowing Bowen to score.  Andi Stallard (Katy, Texas), Weedon and Jen Keller (Woodridge, N.J.) then delivered RBI singles before Bowen crushed a two-run double to left field.  Bowman was up next, and she crushed a single through the left side that knocked in Manhattan's 10^th and 11^th runs of the inning.  The Jaspers added another one in the third when Weedon drove in a run on an infield single.

Rider avoided the shutout in the top of the fifth.  The Broncs loaded the bases with one out before Amanda Irving lifted a sacrifice fly to left field that made it 13-1.  Bowen then retired Emily Cottrell on a fly ball to center to finish off the victory.

As a team, the Jaspers had 11 hits in the game, with Bowman and Weedon both going 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBIs.  Keller also went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, while Babcock was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.  Paxson and Emily Cutler (Bloomingdale, N.J.) both scored two runs.  In addition to going 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs at the plate, Bowen (6-4) went the distance in the circle.  She gave up one run on eight hits, struck out three and walked two over five innings.

Kehli Washington, Dana Sensi and Kim Valdes all had two-hit games for the Broncs, as Rider collected eight hits as a team.  Washington also scored a run, while Irving was 1-for-2 with an RBI.  Meagher was charged with 13 runs, only five of which were earned, and 11 hits in four innings of work.  She walked four and struck out one.

In game two, the Broncs got on the board immediately with a run in the top of the first.  After loading the bases with two out, Irving ripped an RBI single to center field.  However, the Jaspers countered with a tally of their own in the second inning.  Jocelin Whitmore (La Habra, Calif.) led off the inning with a double to right center, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Keller's ground ball to short.

From there, pitchers Amy Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) and Meagher took over.  Bright allowed just five base runners over the final six innings, sending down the final eight Broncs in order, while Meagher retired seven straight Jaspers between Keller's RBI fielder's choice and Weedon's two-out double in the fourth.

Manhattan finally broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth.  After Whitmore drew a one-out walk, Weedon crushed her first career home run, a two-run blast to left center that made it 3-1.  Keller then flied to center and Cutler walked before Bowen sent a long two-run shot to right field for Manhattan's second home run of the inning, and Bright got the Broncs 1-2-3 in the seventh to cap the 5-1 win.

Four of Manhattan's five hits in game two went for extra bases.  Weedon had a home run and a double, going 2-for-2 with a run scored and two RBIs, while Bowen's homer was one of her two hits.  She finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs.  Whitmore went 1-for-2 with a double while also scoring twice.  Bright (5-6) was excellent in the circle, allowing one run and scattering four hits while striking out six and walking three in a complete game effort.

Irving went 2-for-3 with an RBI for Rider.  Sensi and Samantha Judd collected the Broncs' other two hits in the game, while Sensi scored the Rider run.  Meagher (0-10) took her second loss of the day after yielding five runs on five hits and walking five in six innings.