Jaspers Travel To Iona

New Rochelle, NY - Manhattan softball will make the short trip to New Rochelle on Saturday for a MAAC doubleheader against Iona. The first game will kick-off at 2:00 pm, a later time than originally scheduled, due to inclement weather. 

Game Notes:

Last Outing
Manhattan softball (16-22, 5-7 MAAC) swept MAAC foe Saint Peter's on April 17, winning both games 8-0 in five innings. Adriana Gambino (Stamford, CT / Westhill) and Lauren Pitney (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's) each batted .500 over the two games, while five Jaspers picked up two or more RBI for the day. The wins made it four in a row for Manhattan, who also swept Rider on April 14.

MAAC Standings
After winning four consecutive games, the Jaspers sit at 5-7 in the MAAC, good for sixth place in the conference standings. Iona is the only other MAAC team with a longer win streak after winning five in a row.

On the Rise(ing)
Freshman pitcher Jessie Rising (Little Egg Harbor, NJ / Pinelands) has let up just one hit over the past 13.0 innings. She earned her first collegiate shutout against Saint Peter's in game one on April 17. Against Monmouth on April 13, Rising struck out nine, her collegiate single-game best. 

NCAA Rankings
After earning five walks over two games, Lauren Pitney (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's) moved to second in the nation for walks per game, averaging a MAAC-best 1.08. She is also third in the nation for on-base percentage, now at .596 for the year. Pitney's slugging percentage of .768 is 47th in Division I, while her .414 batting average is 50th.

The Jaspers continue to rank among the nation's top defensive teams, coming in at 30th in D1 for double plays per game (0.47). They are also 43rd for doubles per game (1.53). Manhattan leads the conference in these categories, as well, in addition to leading the MAAC in scoring with 4.45 runs per game. 

Career Milestones
A senior, Pitney needs just one RBI to solely claim third place on the Jaspers' all-time list. She is also two runs away from tying for third on that all-time list. With her ninth home run of the season on April 17, Pitney has 28 for her career, and needs just one more to tie for third on that list, as well. 

About the Gaels
At 8-2 in the MAAC, Iona (13-19) sits at first place in the league standings. The Gaels have won their last four home contests, sweeping both Niagara and Canisius this past weekend. 

Jasmine Temple leads Iona's offense with 22 RBI so far this season. She has a team-high four home runs, and is batting .320. With 109.1 innings pitched, Kara Zazzaro has an ERA of 1.41 and 96 strikeouts on the year. She holds opponents to a .195 batting average.