Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. – After playing eight straight games against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opponents, the Manhattan College softball team took a break from conference competition by welcoming Albany to Gaelic Park on Tuesday. Despite a brilliant pitching performance by Kelsi Redding (Tucson, Ariz.), the Jaspers (14-18) came up on the short end of a 2-0 decision in the first game. The Great Danes (23-10) then scored four runs in the ninth to post a 7-3 victory in the nightcap.
Albany scored a run in the top of the second in game one. Charlise Castro led off the inning with a double to the wall in center field, moved to third on a bunt, and came across on Lauren Alcorn's sacrifice fly. The Jaspers got back-to-back singles from Mickayla Romero (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Jen Keller (Woodridge, N.J.) in the bottom half of the inning before Albany starter Brittany MacFawn struck out Jocelin Whitmore (La Habra, Calif.) and Emily Cutler (Bloomingdale, N.J.) to get out of trouble.
That would prove to be Manhattan's best scoring chance of the game, as MacFawn struck out six consecutive Jaspers following a walk to Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) leading off the bottom of the third, and the only other hit she allowed was Bowen's two-out double in the fifth.
Redding, meanwhile, was just as dominant. Castro's double was the only hit she allowed until the sixth, when Castro came up again and reached on an infield single. After walking Marlin Solano, Redding retired Kelly Costello on a ground ball to end the inning. The Great Danes added an insurance tally in the seventh, though. Alcorn tripled leading off the inning, and pinch runner Taylor Franich then came home on a sacrifice fly by Lindsey Stout. MacFawn capped the 2-0 shutout by working around a two-out hit batsman to strike out the side in the bottom of the seventh.
Manhattan was held to three hits, Bowen's double and the singles by Romero and Keller. Redding (2-4), meanwhile, suffered a tough-luck loss. She gave up two runs and just three hits while striking out seven and walking five in seven innings.
Castro led the way offensively for the Great Danes, collecting two of Albany's three hits and scoring a run. Alcorn added a triple and an RBI. MacFawn struck out 13 Jaspers in a three-hit shutout. She also issued two walks.
After Albany left two runners on in the top of the first in game two, Manhattan's “Killer B's” went to work. Bowen led off the bottom half of the inning with a home run to center field and Elena Bowman (San Mateo, Calif.) followed with a blast to left, her 11th of the season. Amanda Babcock (Haverstraw, N.Y.), Amanda Paxson (Cedar Grove, N.J.) and Andi Stallard (Katy, Texas) all followed with deep, hard-hit fly balls to the outfield, but each stayed in the park, allowing Albany starter Emily Ostrom to get out of the inning with only the two runs against.
In the top of the second, Amy Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) recorded a pair of strikeouts before Alexa Toole beat out an infield single. After the runners moved to second and third on a passed ball, Vicky McFarland belted a three-run homer to left, giving the Great Danes a 3-2 lead.
The Jaspers tied it in the bottom of the sixth. Bowman was hit by a pitch with one out, and Cutler was sent in to pinch run for her. After Babcock struck out, Cutler stole second. Paxson then sent a grounder towards third, but Alcorn's throw was off the mark, allowing Cutler to come across with the tying run.
Albany threatened in the top of the seventh, as Jess Tate started the inning with a double to left center and was bunted over to third. With the go-ahead run 60 feet away and one out, Bright got the strikeout she needed, sending McFarland down looking. Bright struck out the next batter, as well, leaving Tate stranded at third base. However, the Jaspers went down in order in the bottom of the seventh, sending the contest into extra innings.
Neither team was able to mount a rally in the eighth, and the ninth inning started with a runner being placed on second base. Albany put runners on the corners when Costello beat the throw to third on Alcorn's bunt, and the Great Danes loaded the bases after Solano drew a walk. Lindsey Stout was then sent up as a pinch hitter, and, after fouling off several pitches, she sent a ground ball just past the diving Babcock into left field for a two-run single. McFarland reached on a fielder's choice before Taylor Franich delivered a base hit to center field that drove in a pair of runs and increased the Great Danes' advantage to 7-3.
Paxson drew a walk leading off the bottom of the ninth, giving Manhattan runners on first and second with no outs. However, Babcock was thrown out at third on Stallard's grounder to short. MacFawn then retired Romero on a fly bal to right and Keller on a popup to third, capping Albany's 7-3 victory.
Bright (5-7) took the loss after yielding seven runs (six earned) and eight hits while striking out eight and walking five in nine innings. The home runs by Bowen and Bowman were Manhattan's only hits in the game.
Eight different Great Danes had one hit in game two, with McFarland going 1-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBIs. Franich went 1-for-5 with two RBIs, while Stout had two RBIs on her pinch-hit single. Ostrom went five innings in the circle. She allowed two runs on two hits, struck out one and walked two. MacFawn (15-6) tossed four innings of relief to earn her second win of the day. She gave up one unearned run while not surrendering a hit, walking one and striking out three.
The Jaspers (6-2 MAAC) are on the road for their next six games, starting with a doubleheader at MAAC rival Canisius (17-14, 2-2 MAAC) on Saturday. The twinbill gets underway at 2 p.m.
