Manhattan University Athletics

Poughkeepsie, NY - Manhattan softball picked up two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) wins Saturday, April 28, sweeping Marist in a doubleheader at the Red Foxes' Gartland Field. With the wins, Manhattan improves to 4-10 in the MAAC, and 20-23 on the season. Marist falls to 6-8 in the league and 19-27 for the year. 

Pitchers Briana Matazinsky (Valley Falls, NY / Tamarac) and Nicole Williams (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's) each went for complete games in the doubleheader. In game one, Matazinsky (8-9) held the Red Foxes to just three hits and walked one while striking out four, helping Manhattan to the 4-1 win. Williams (7-9), pitching in the second game, gave up just one hit to the Red Foxes in the 1-0 win, good for her second shutout of the year and the sixth of her career. The pair held Marist to a team batting average of .082 on the day.

Manhattan held control of the match-up from the start of game one. The Jaspers went up 2-0 in the top of the first inning, when junior Kat Prevo (San Diego, CA / Our Lady of Peace) reached base on a fielder's choice that included an error by Marist in which Matazinsky scored. Three batters later, with the bases loaded, freshman Adriana Gambino (Stamford, CT / Westhill) singled through the right side, scoring Daniela Chiorazzi (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) from third. 

Matazinsky held the Red Foxes scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when Marist's Ali Milam homered to right center. But the Jaspers punched right back, adding to the lead in the top of the next inning, when Shannon Puthe (Mullica Hill, NJ / Saint Joseph's) singled to left field, driving in two more runs. Matazinsky would give up no more hits the rest of the way, securing the win for Manhattan. 

Game two was a pitching duel, as both teams were held scoreless until the top of the final inning (with each earning just one hit in that time, well). Puthe got the Manhattan offense going in the top of the seventh, reaching first on a walk and then stealing second. She then advance to third on a wild pitch, in prime scoring position with just one out.

Pinch hitting for teammate Victoria Alonso (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland), sophomore Emma Hesse (Newton, NJ / Newton) singled to left field, sending Puthe home and driving in the only run of the game. It was the second time this week Hesse has come up big for the Jaspers in the pinch hitting position: Hitting for Williams against St. John's on Thursday, her single in the bottom of the sixth loaded the bases for junior Lauren Pitney (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's), who drove in the game-winning run. 

The Red Foxes were able to put two runners on in the bottom of the seventh, after one was walked and one reached on a throwing error. But Williams got the last batter to pop up to Alonso at short, and the Jaspers took the 1-0 victory. 

Up Next:
Manhattan returns home Sunday, April 29 for a doubleheader against Iona, scheduled to start at 12 p.m.