Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. – The Manhattan College softball team welcomed local rival Iona to Gaelic Park for a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader on Wednesday. The Jaspers (17-23, 7-7 MAAC) had the tying runs on base in the seventh inning, but ultimately dropped a 7-5 decision in the first game of the twinbill. The Gaels (15-20, 9-5 MAAC) then notched a 5-2 victory in the nightcap.
Manhattan took a 1-0 lead on Amy Bright's (Manlius, N.Y.) first career home run in the second inning of game one, but Iona immediately responded with Eileen McCann's two-run shot in the top of the third. The Gaels belted two more home runs in the fourth, as Katie Jansson went deep leading off the inning and Allison Hand later added a two-run blast to center that made it 5-1 Iona.
In the bottom of the fifth, Elena Bowman (San Mateo, Calif.) and Amanda Paxson (Cedar Grove, N.J.) delivered back-to-back singles before Jenn Vazquez (Fairfield, Conn.) connected for a three-run homer to left that brought Manhattan within one at 5-4. The Jaspers then tied it in the bottom of the sixth. Emily Cutler (Bloomingdale, N.J.) started the rally with an infield single, and Bowen followed with a flare to right that dropped in. After Paxson was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out, Vazquez sent a grounder towards short. The Gaels retired Bowen at third on the play, but Cutler scored the tying run on the fielder's choice.
Pinch hitter Sydney Dimon walked leading off the top of the seventh, prompting Manhattan Head Coach Tom Pardalis to call on Bright, his game two starter. However, she walked the bases loaded. Sarah Schutz then smacked a two-run double to left center that put Iona up 7-5. The Jaspers put the tying runs on in the bottom half of the inning, as Mickayla Romero (Las Vegas, Nev.) reached on an infield single and Cutler walked. Bowen then sent a screeching ground ball that looked ticketed for right field, but Iona second baseman Katie Newton made the stop and fired to first for the game-ending out.
Romero ended up 3-for-4 in game one, while Paxson was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Kate Bowen (Newtown, Conn.) also had two hits, as Manhattan outhit Iona 11-9 in the contest. Vazquez collected four RBIs, and Bright's homer accounted for the Jaspers' fifth run. Bowen went the first four innings in the circle, giving up five runs on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout. Danielle Gabriel (Island Heights, N.J.) (1-4) took the loss after yielding one run on one hit in two-plus innings. She also struck out one and walked two. Bright struck out the side after allowing a run, a hit and two walks in the seventh.
McCann went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs for Iona. Schutz finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Breanna Schauer was also 2-for-4. Hand knocked in a pair of runs, while Kelsey Long scored twice. Pitcher Carly Argyle (9-8) went the distance. She surrendered five runs on 11 hits, struck out seven and walked four.
The Gaels got four singles in the first inning of game two, but only plated one run, as McCann was caught too far off third on Jansson's RBI single to left. It looked like the Jaspers would take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first, but McCann robbed Bowman of a two-run homer to right, making the catch just before she fell into the fence. McCann then made it 4-0 Iona with a three-run homer in the top of the third.
Anna Crowley (Eastchester, N.Y.) started the bottom of the third with an infield single, and Bowen then smacked a one-out single to center. After Paxson walked to load the bases, Vazquez ripped a single up the middle. Two runs scored on the play, but Paxson was thrown out trying to move to third, ending the inning.
Gabriel entered in relief of Bright in the fourth, and she kept the margin at 4-2 until a two-out, RBI triple by McCann in the sixth. Iona threatened again in the seventh, getting back-to-back singles from Schutz and Jansson to start the inning. However, Schauer grounded into a double play, then Gabriel struck out Argyle to end the inning.
The Jaspers were unable to rally in the bottom of the seventh, though. Paxson roped a two-out single, but Vazquez lined to second to end the game and give Iona its sixth successive victory at Gaelic Park.
Vazquez, Bowen and Romero each had a pair of hits in game two, while Vazquez notched two RBIs, giving her six in the doubleheader. (She drove in six of Manhattan's seven runs in the two games.) Bright (7-12) took the loss after yielding four runs on eight hits and striking out four in three innings. Gabriel worked four innings in relief, surrendering one run on six hits while striking out five and walking one.
Iona pounded out 14 hits as a team in the nightcap, led by McCann's 3-for-4 effort. She finished a double shy of the cycle and also recorded four RBIs and a run scored. Jansson finished 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Hand, Turner and Newton tallied two hits apiece. Hand also scored twice. Jordan Courage (4-10) was effective in the circle. She allowed two runs on eight hits, struck out four and walked three in a complete game effort.
After playing 10 straight MAAC games, the Jaspers will take a break from conference play on Saturday, when Lehigh (24-17) visits Gaelic Park for a 12 p.m. doubleheader.
