Manhattan University Athletics

New York, NY - Despite two home runs, including a grand slam, from junior Lauren Pitney (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's), Manhattan softball dropped an 8-7 non-conference game to the Columbia Lions on Wednesday, April 11 at Columbia Softball Stadium. With the loss, Manhattan falls to 14-16 on the season. 

Pitney led the Jaspers with a game-high five RBIs. Manhattan's offense was helped along by senior Shannon Puthe (Mullica Hill, NJ / Saint Joseph's), who went 4-4 to lead all hitters, with one RBI and two runs. 

Manhattan got on the board first in the top of the first inning, when freshman catcher Daniela Chiorazzi (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) walked with the bases loaded to send Puthe home. But Columbia swung the score to 3-1 in the bottom of the inning on a three-run homer down the left field line from Taylor Troutt. 

The Jaspers responded almost immediately with Pitney's grand slam in the top of the second, putting Manhattan back in the lead at 5-3. The Lions cut the lead back to one in their next at bat, on a solo home run from Maria Pagane. 

In the top of the third, Manhattan extended the lead back to two when Puthe smashed a double to left field, batting in Victoria Ross (Bloomfield, NJ / Bloomfield). But the Jaspers would not sit with the lead for long, as Columbia scored four runs in the bottom of the inning. 

It would be the last time the Lions would score in the game. After 2.2 innings, starting pitcher Kayla McDermott (Garnerville, NY / North Rockland) was relieved by Nicole Williams (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's), who would finish out the game. With 12 batters faced, Williams struck out four, allowing just one hit and one walk, and shutting down Columbia's offense in the second half of the game. 

Pitney's second homer in the top of the fourth got Manhattan within one of the Lions. But the Jaspers would come up short of a comeback, earning just one more hit for the rest of the game. Columbia's early batting prowess proved to win the day, propelling the Lions to the 8-7 win.

Up Next: 
Manhattan is back in MAAC action on Saturday, April 14, traveling to West Long Branch, NJ to play Monmouth in a doubleheader starting at noon.