Manhattan University Athletics

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

RIVERDALE, NY – Entering Saturday's doubleheader, the Manhattan College softball team held a one-game lead over Siena for first place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).  And following the twinbill between the two, the Jaspers still have a one-game lead over the Saints.  After Siena (13-24, 8-4 MAAC) notched a 5-3 win in game one, Manhattan (25-13, 9-3 MAAC) held on for a 3-2 victory in the second game at Gaelic Park.

It rained on and off (mostly on) throughout the two games, and the conditions led directly to a Manhattan run in the second inning of game one.  Briana Matazinsky (Valley Falls, NY) drew a leadoff walk stole second before moving to third on a wild pitch and scoring on another.  The Jaspers then made it 2-0 with an unearned tally in the third.  Alexa Dawid (Milford, CT) reached on an error and immediately stole second.  She advanced to third on a Jenn Vazquez (Fairfield, CT) groundout, then came around on Lauren Pitney's (Ansonia, CT) infield single.

Manhattan had a chance to add to its lead in the fourth, but left the bases loaded.  Siena then took advantage of some uncharacteristic defensive miscues by the Jaspers in the top of the sixth.  After a Madysen Cossack RBI single got the Saints on the board, Chelsey Drew followed with a game-tying double to right.  Manhattan then committed errors on back-to-back plays, allowing Siena to score two unearned runs and go up 4-2.

An RBI single by Shannon Puthe (Mullica Hill, NJ) made it 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth before the Saints regained a two-run lead on Drew's two-out RBI single in the top of the seventh.  Vazquez walked to start the bottom of the seventh, but she was left stranded at first, as Siena closed out a 5-3 victory.

Matazinsky (13-4) suffered her first loss since March 10, ending a personal 11-game winning streak, after allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits over six innings.  She also struck out three and walked two.  Danielle Gabriel (Island Heights, NJ) pitched the seventh, giving up one run on two hits with a walk and strikeout.  Offensively, the Jaspers were held to just three hits, the RBI singles by Puthe and Matazinsky, and a fourth-inning single by Stephanie Reinhardt (Albany, NY).  She reached base all three times, also drawing a pair of walks, and scored a run.

For the Saints, Drew went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs.  Paige Hess also finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Cossack was 2-for-2 with two walks and an RBI.  Lauren Butts (7-10) went the distance in the circle, surrendering three runs (two earned) on three hits while striking out eight and walking eight.

Between games of the doubleheader, the Jaspers held their Senior Day ceremonies honoring Gabriel, Reinhardt and Vazquez.  Manhattan then jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a long three-run homer by Victoria Ross (Bloomfield, NJ) in the second inning of game two.

The Jaspers had an opportunity to add to their lead in the third inning and again in the sixth, but left the bases loaded each time.  Nicole Williams (Ansonia, CT) was holding Siena's offense at bay, though, as the Saints managed just two base runners over the first five innings.  After pinch hitter Sarah Ho drew a leadoff walk in the sixth, she got to third on a wild pitch and a groundout.  However, Williams struck out Hess to end the inning and preserve the 3-0 lead.

In the top of the seventh, Cossack broke up the no-hitter with a long home run to center field.  Drew followed with a solo shot to right center, cutting the Jaspers' advantage to 3-2 and bringing Stephanie Kristo (San Jose, CA) in from the Manhattan bullpen.  After striking out the first batter she faced, Kristo allowed a double to Brooke Taylor.  The next batter, Amanda Dodson, sent a line drive to center field.  Puthe made the catch and doubled Taylor off second for a thrilling game-ending double play that capped the 3-2 Manhattan victory.

Williams (7-5) earned the win after holding Siena to two runs on two hits with five strikeouts and two walks in six-plus innings.  Kristo allowed one hit and struck out one in one inning to record the Jaspers' first save of the season.  Manhattan's only hits other than the Ross home run were a double by Vazquez and a Christine Gebhardt (Middletown, NJ) single.

Maddie McMahon (6-8) tossed a complete game for the Saints.  She gave up three runs on three hits while striking out five and walking five.