Manhattan now sits at 11-16 on the season, while the Ivy League-leading Columbia improves to 13-12.
Highlights:
- Victoria Alonso (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) earned a team-high two RBI in Wednesday's game, snagging both on a two-run homer, the first of her collegiate career, in the bottom of the fourth. She batted .333 on the day with a slugging percentage of 1.333.
- Teammate Adriana Gambino (Stamford, CT / Westhill) went 1-2 for the Jaspers with a double, two walks, and a run scored.
- Manhattan struck first in the game, putting a run on the board when Christine Gebhardt (Middletown, NJ / Middletown North) knocked a ground rule double down the left field line, scoring Gambino.
- Starting pitcher Jessie Rising (Little Egg Harbor, NJ / Pinelands) held the Lions to just one hit through the first four innings, facing 15 batters over that span.
- Manhattan took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth, when Alonso homered with a runner on to extend the Jaspers' lead to 3-0.
- Columbia cut into Manhattan's advantage in the next inning, when Maria Pagane hit a two-run home run to make the score 3-2. It was the Lions' second hit of the game.
- Kayla McDermott (Garnerville, NY / North Rockland) entered the game in relief for Rising with one on in the top of the sixth. She forced the first batter faced to pop up to second, then struck out the next batter for the third out of the inning.
- The Jaspers were unable to capitalize on the defensive stop, however, going three-up, three-down in the bottom of the sixth.
- In the top of the seventh inning, the Lions began their late-game rally when baserunner Hailey Wetherill advanced to second in a failed pick-off attempt. Two batters later, Pagane reached base on an infield throwing error. Genny Soltesz then loaded the bases with a single to third.
- Max Ortega tied the game at three-all with a single to to right field. Sommer Grzybek then walked to drive in the go-ahead run. Abby Stuart made it 6-3 Columbia on the next at bat, singling to center field for two RBI. McDermott struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
- With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Gambino got things going for the Jaspers with a double down the left field line. Catcher Daniela Chiorazzi (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) then singled to right field, advancing Gambino to third. But the game came to an end when a hard hit fly ball to center field by Gebhardt was caught for the final out.
- In total, Rising let up three hits in 5.1 innings for the Jaspers, striking out two and walking four. McDermott tallied four strikeouts in 1.2 innings pitched, letting up three hits. She earned the loss for Manhattan and is now at 3-8 on the season. Alexa Pinarski (7-4) picked up the win for Columbia.
Manhattan continues MAAC play with a doubleheader at Fairfield on April 6 starting at noon.