The Jaspers fell 5-4 in eight innings in game one, finishing the day at 12-17 on the season and 1-3 in the MAAC. Fairfield moves to 15-13 on the year and 1-3 in the league.
Game 1: Fairfield 5, Manhattan 4 (8 innings)
- Lauren Pitney (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's) and Dominique Palagruto (Sewell, NJ / Washington Township) both earned two RBI for Manhattan in game one.
- Down 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Pitney walked with the bases loaded to put the Jaspers on the board and tie the game.
- The score remained locked at 1-1 until the top of the fourth, when Palagruto doubled down the left field line, scoring two. Two batters later, Pitney singled to left field for another Manhattan run, extending the lead to 4-1.
- Manhattan starter Jessie Rising (Little Egg Harbor, NJ / Pinelands) held the Stags to just three hits through four innings. In the fifth, however, Fairfield picked up two more hits, including a double from Mikayla Rubin that drove in a run to cut Manhattan's lead to 4-2.
- With the Jaspers still up two in the bottom of the sixth, Lauryn Rinehart homered for Fairfield with one out and one on, tying the game. Rising then struck out two batters to close the inning.
- Unable to nab a run in the top of the seventh, the Jaspers forced extra innings by retiring three consecutive Fairfield batters in the bottom of the seventh.
- Morgan Sgarlata (Oneida, NY / Herkimer County CC) opened the eighth inning with a double to left field. She then advanced to third on a sacrifice by the next batter, Victoria Alonso (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland). But the next two batters were unable to convert, leaving Sgarlata in scoring position.
- Stephanie Kristo (San Jose, CA / Archbishop Mitty) entered the game for Rising after the Stags' Sam Merino was hit by a pitch to reach base in the bottom of the eighth. Merino then stole second, before Rhinehart singled up the middle to drive in the winning run.
- Rising earned the loss for Manhattan, moving to 4-6 on the year. She let up just seven hits in 7.1 innings, striking out four.
- Defense was on full display in game two, as the Jaspers and Stags remained scoreless until the top of the fifth, when Pitney homered to put Manhattan up 1-0. It was her seventh bomb of the season.
- Fairfield snagged two hits to start the bottom of the fifth, followed by a fielder's choice that scored Merino and tied the game at 1-1. Another fielder's choice on the next batter allowed a second run for the Stags, now up 2-1.
- The Jaspers responded quickly in the top of the third. Adriana Gambino (Stamford, CT / Westhill) reached on a fielding error with two runners on as Alonso scored from third to tie the game. A wild pitch then advanced Gambino to second and Megan Gillooley (Clifton Park, NY / Shenendehowa) to third. Gillooley then scored the go-ahead run as Christine Gebhardt (Middletown, NJ / Middletown North) reached on a fielder's choice.
- Starting pitcher Kayla McDermott (Garnerville, NY / North Rockland) held the Stags to just two hits over the next two innings, completing the win for Manhattan. In 7.0 innings pitched, she let up five total hits and no walks, while striking out two. McDermott earned her first MAAC win of the year and is now 4-8 on the season.
The Jaspers host Marist at Gaelic Park on Sunday, April 7. The MAAC doubleheader will begin at noon.