Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. – With a doubleheader sweep of Rider on Saturday afternoon, the Manhattan College softball team matched the best start to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play in program history. Amy Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) tossed a three-hit shutout in the first game, a 2-0 victory, while Elena Bowman (San Mateo, Calif.) and Jenn Vazquez (Fairfield, Conn.) both homered in game two, as the first-place Jaspers (15-9, 6-0 MAAC) rallied from a 2-0 deficit to post a 3-2 win over the Broncs (8-22, 3-5 MAAC) at Gaelic Park. Manhattan is now 6-0 in the MAAC for the second time in three seasons.
Bright stole the show in game one. She allowed just three singles in the contest, and the only Bronc to reach second base did so in the first inning.
In the bottom of the first, the Jaspers gave Bright all the offense she would need. Bowman roped a two-out double that was just fair down the left field line, then, after Amanda Paxson (Cedar Grove, N.J.) was hit by a pitch, Vazquez knocked Bowman in with a base hit to center.
It remained 1-0 until the fifth, when Manhattan added an insurance tally. Mickayla Romero (Las Vegas, Nev.) led off the inning with a single before Paxson walked with one out. Vazquez was up next, and she delivered a ground ball up the middle. Pinch runner Madison Bailey (Mesa, Ariz.) scored easily on the play, but Paxson was caught too far off second when the throw home was cut off. Sydney Weedon (North Tustin, Calif.) then popped up to end the inning.
That was more than enough for Bright, who retired 12 of the final 13 Rider hitters, including the last seven in a row. The only hit for the Broncs in that span was a shot back to the circle by Allysen Breeden. However, pinch runner Antonia Nino was caught stealing, and she would prove to be Rider's last base runner of the game. Bright retired the Broncs in order in the sixth, then struck out the last two batters in the seventh, her sixth and seventh of the game, to finish off her third shutout of the year.
Offensively, Vazquez led the way with two hits and two RBIs. Bowman, Paxson and Romero all added hits, while Bowman scored a run. Bright (9-4) didn't walk a batter and pushed her league-leading strikeout total to 72.
Kim Valdes and Emily Cottrell had the other two Rider singles in the contest. Delaney DeMello (4-5) took the loss after yielding two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and four walks in six innings.
Facing Briana Matazinsky (Valley Falls, N.Y.) in game two, Rider put a run on the board in the top of the first, as Dana Sensi and Cottrell ripped back-to-back singles before a two-out RBI base hit by Megan McDonough. The Broncs added another run on a Gina McCool sacrifice fly in the third.
After leaving seven runners on base thru three innings, the Jaspers finally broke through in the fourth. Andi Stallard (Katy, Texas) reached on an error with one out and Matazinsky followed with a single to left. With two out, Romero smacked a base hit to left that cut Rider's lead in half. Bowman then walked to load the bases, but the inning ended on Paxson's grounder to short.
Manhattan loaded the bases again in the fifth, but a spectacular diving stop by Cottrell on Emily Cutler's (Bloomingdale, N.J.) line drive robbed the Jaspers' leadoff hitter of at least one RBI and ended the inning. With one out in the sixth, Bowman fouled off pitch after two-strike pitch before connecting on a long blast to left. Her league-leading 10th home run of the year tied the game at 2-2. Two batters later, Vazquez crushed her seventh homer of the season, a solo shot to center field that gave Manhattan its first lead of the contest, 3-2.
Matazinsky gave the Jaspers six solid innings before turning things over to Bright in the seventh. After Valdes reached on an infield single with one out, Sensi crushed one deep to left field that was inches away from a go-ahead two-run homer. The ball hit the top of the wall instead, going for just a single. Bright then induced a pair of fly outs to center to close out the 3-2 victory.
Bowman reached base all four times in game two, drawing two walks to go along with a single and her homer. Weedon also had two hits, as the Jaspers collected nine base knocks as a team. Matazinsky (5-3) earned the win after allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out four without issuing a walk. Bright's save was her second of the season.
For Rider, Sensi finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Cottrell was 2-for-4 in game two, while Monica Clark also had a pair of hits. In addition to going 1-for-3 with an RBI at the plate, McDonough (2-9) took the loss in the circle. She surrendered three runs (two earned) on nine hits, struck out two and walked five in a complete game effort.
The Jaspers also wore special jerseys during the doubleheader in support of the HEADstrong Foundation's “Project Gameday” initiative to fight blood cancer. Manhattan became involved with the HEADstrong Foundation through play-by-play broadcaster Christian Heimall, who was diagnosed with B-cell non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in December and recently found out he's in remission. To find out more about the HEADstrong foundation or to make a donation, please visit www.HEADstrong.org.
On Sunday, the Jaspers conclude their 10-game homestand with a 10 a.m. doubleheader against Monmouth (8-15, 4-2 MAAC). It will be the first meeting between the teams since Manhattan eliminated the Hawks from last season's MAAC Tournament.