Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – For the Manhattan College softball team, the first weekend of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action went about as well as it could've hoped. One day after posting two wins over Saint Peter's at Gaelic Park, the Jaspers (12-14, 4-0 MAAC) recorded another doubleheader sweep, knocking off three-time defending MAAC champion Iona (7-26, 3-3 MAAC) 8-7 and 9-2 at Rice Oval on Sunday afternoon.
After going down in order in the first inning of game one, Manhattan erupted for six runs in the second. Amanda Paxson (Cedar Grove, N.J.) led off the inning with an infield single, then moved to third on Andi Stallard's (Katy, Texas) double to left center. Jocelin Whitmore (La Habra, Calif.) walked to load the bases before Sydney Weedon (Santa Ana, Calif.) delivered a double to center that knocked in a pair. Whitmore later scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0. With two out, Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) drove in a run with a single up the middle, bringing up Elena Bowman (San Mateo, Calif.). Bowman capped the rally by belting her ninth home run of the season, a two-run shot to left center.
Iona responded with three runs of its own in the bottom of the second. Allison Hand started the inning with a homer to left field, and Carly Argyle later added a two-run blast that brought the Gaels within 6-3. Sarah Schutz made it 6-4 with a solo shot in the third, then Iona pulled in front with a three-spot in the bottom of the fourth. After the Gaels loaded the bases with one out, Brianna King scored on a wild pitch to pull Iona within one. Schutz then delivered a two-run double to left center that gave the Gaels a 7-6 advantage.
However, the Jaspers countered with a pair in the top of the sixth to regain the lead. The rally started when Weedon drew a leadoff walk. She was lifted for pinch runner Meghan McDevitt (Nutley, N.J.), who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Anna Gallacher (New Fairfield, Conn.) was then hit by a pitch, and the runners moved up to second and third on a passed ball. Bowen followed with a grounder to first that was mishandled by the Gaels' Sydney Dimon, allowing both runs to score.
The Gaels got a leadoff single in the sixth and a two-out double in the seventh, but Erin Hamm (Collegeville, Pa.) left the runner stranded each time. Hamm took care of the final out herself, as Argyle grounded back to the circle and Hamm tossed to first, finishing off the 8-7 Jaspers victory.
Weedon went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs in game one, while Bowman was 1-for-2 with a run scored and two RBIs and Bowen finished 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Bowen also got the start in the circle for Manhattan. She lasted two innings, giving up three runs on six hits. Amy Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) allowed four runs on four hits while striking out one and walking two in two innings, while Hamm (1-2) yielded three hits in three shutout innings to earn her first collegiate win.
As a team, Iona collected 13 hits in game one, with six different Gaels recording two hits apiece. Schutz was 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs, while Argyle went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs. Starting pitcher Beth Kann tossed one inning. She surrendered four runs on three hits and struck out two. Argyle (6-15) took the loss after being charged with four runs (two hits) on three hits while striking out two and walking six over six innings of work.
Manhattan struck early and often in game two, building a 6-0 lead after three innings. The Jaspers recorded an unearned tally in the top of the first before scoring two runs on five hits in the second. Whitmore delivered a one-out single, moved to second on Keller's single, and advanced to third when Bowen reached on a fielder's choice. Bowman followed with an infield single, allowing Whitmore to come across. Babcock was up next and she found the gap in left center field. Bowen scored easily on the play, but the ball bounced over the fence for a ground-rule double, meaning Bowman had to stop at third. Paxson then popped out to end the inning.
The Jaspers weren't done, though, putting up a three-spot in the top of the third. Stallard started the inning with a double to left and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. After McDevitt drove her in with a groundout, Whitmore ripped a single to left field. Keller then belted an RBI double to left center and Bowen followed with a base hit down the right field line that drove her in and increased Manhattan's lead to 6-0.
Iona, meanwhile, wasn't able to muster much offense off Kelsi Redding (Tucson, Ariz.). Beth Kann hit an RBI single in the bottom of the third, and the Gaels mounted another rally in the sixth. After Hand drew a walk and King hit a two-out single, Argyle ripped a single up the middle that pulled Iona within 6-2. Dimon then walked to load the bases and bring up Jodi Petersen as the tying run, but Redding got her to pop up to end the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Manhattan piled on three insurance tallies. McDevitt ripped a leadoff single, then Whitmore dropped down a sacrifice bunt, but was safe on a throwing error. Following a successful sacrifice by Keller, Bowen delivered a two-run single through the right side. Bowman then singled before Babcock smacked a double to left center that knocked in another run. Redding worked around a leadoff single to finish off the Gaels in the bottom half of the inning, giving the Jaspers their second straight doubleheader sweep to begin conference play.
As a team, the Jaspers collected a season-high 17 hits in the game, with seven different players posting multi-hit efforts. Babcock went 3-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs, while Bowen finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBIs. Whitmore added two hits and scored three times. Redding (2-2) tossed a complete game, allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out five and walking five.
King was 2-for-3 for the Gaels, while Kann and Argyle each had a hit and an RBI. Argyle also went 4.1 innings in the circle, surrendering three runs (two earned) and eight hits, striking out four and walking one. Starter Jordan Courage (1-6) gave up six runs (five earned) on nine hits and walked one in 2.2 innings.
The first-place Jaspers return to action on Saturday, when they put their five-game winning streak on the line with a 2 p.m. doubleheader against Rider (6-27, 2-2 MAAC) at Gaelic Park.
