Manhattan University Athletics

Madeira Beach, FL - Manhattan softball makes its annual trek to Madeira Beach, FL this weekend to officially open the Jaspers' 2020 season with six games in the Sunshine State.

First pitch for Manhattan will be at 11:00am on Friday, February 21 against Merrimack. 

GAME NOTES

Scouting the Jaspers
As a team, Manhattan was picked to finish tied with Siena for fifth in the MAAC preseason poll. Last season, the Jaspers finished 21-29 and 8-12 in MAAC play, just missing qualification in the league's six-team conference tournament. The Jaspers led the league in on-base percentage (.377) in 2019, and ranked second in RBI (204). Manhattan also finished third in team batting average (.273), slugging percentage (.391) and runs scored (219).

Manhattan returns 12 letterwinners from last year's squad, including five seniors and 11 starters. 

Moore is More
Annie Moore (Northridge, CA / El Camino Real) was named to the 2020 Preseason All-MAAC Team on January 29. A sophomore, she was recognized as the league's top designated player, after being named to the 2019 All-MAAC First Team in the DP spot and earning a place on the league's All-Rookie Team last season.

Moore completed her first year in Riverdale with 13 doubles, tying for sixth on the program's single-season list. Her 38 RBI was a team-high, just two short of the program's single-season top 10. She batted .397 on the season and .484 in MAAC play, and was named First Team All-Northeast Region by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), pinpointing her as the northeast's best Division I designated player. 

Merrimack | Friday, February 21 | 11:00 am
Merrimack will open its first Division I season against the Jaspers. Picked to finish 10th in the NEC's preseason poll, the Warriors return junior Lucy Colarusso, who hit .346 with 17 RBI last season, as well as Tiffany Mangiameli, who earned a .341 batting average and .823 on-base percentage. 

South Dakota | Friday, February 21 | 4:00 pm
Already 4-7 on the season, South Dakota earned a 3-1 win over MAAC preseason #1 Monmouth on February 16. In that match-up, the Coyotes earned 11 hits off Alyssa Irons, the 2019 MAAC Pitcher of the Year, while SD pitcher Sarah Liso retired eight of the final 10 batters for a complete-game victory. 

Colgate | Saturday, February 22 | 11:00 am
At 3-2 so far in the year, Colgate has wins over Gardner-Webb, Robert Morris and Valparaiso. Undefeated pitcher Bailey Misken holds a 0.33 ERA in three appearances this season, with 23 strikeouts over 21 innings. As a team, the Raiders are batting .226, with Steph Jacoby hitting .429 in 14 at bats. 

Georgetown | Saturday, February 22 | 1:30 pm
The Hoyas have earned just one win in 10 games this season, a 2-1 decision over Holy Cross on February 14. Georgetown has been held scoreless in half of its games, batting just .195 as a team. 

Cornell | Sunday, February 23 | 9:00 am
Cornell will also be playing in its first games of the 2020 season this weekend. The Jaspers swept the Bears in three meetings last year, as Cornell went on to a 10-36 record and 5-16 in the Ivy League. The Bears return 13 players from last year's squad, including 2019 All-Ivy selections, Bridgette Rooney (second team), Allison Kerce (honorable mention) and Ashley Delany (honorable mention).

UAlbany | Sunday, February 23 | 11:30 am
UAlbany was selected fifth in the America East preseason poll after going 26-17 and 13-4 in conference play in 2019. A #2 seed in their conference tournament last season, the Great Danes earned 11 all-league postseason honors, including returner and All-America East First Team selection Katie Falotico, who recorded 41 RBI last season.