Manhattan University Athletics

Madeira Beach, FL - Manhattan softball dropped two contests on day two of The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, FL. The Jaspers fell to Colgate (5-4) 9-0 in their first game Saturday, followed by a 6-4 near-comeback loss to Georgetown (3-11) later in the day. 

Colgate 9, Manhattan 0 (5 innings)
Senior pitcher Nicole Williams (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's) got her first start of the 2020 season Saturday, holding Colgate scoreless through four innings and striking out two. But the Raiders broke the 0-0 game wide open in the fifth, nabbing three runs off Williams, including a two-RBI homer, in a wild rally that ultimately secured the Colgate win. 

Williams was relieved by Marika Deemer (Perrysburg, OH / Perrysburg), making her first collegiate appearance in the circle. Deemer faced five batters in the fifth, but let up two more runs, including another Colgate homer, before Kayla McDermott (Garnerville, NY / North Rockland) appeared in relief. The bases already loaded, Colgate's Kaitlyn Borruso homered off McDermott for a grand slam, extending the Raiders' lead to 9-0. McDermott retired the next two batters, ending the Colgate onslaught.

Emma Kindblom (Wilbraham, MA / Wilbraham & Monson Academy) sparked the Jasper offense in the bottom of the fifth, singling through the right side to reach base. Gabriella Mazzotta (Somers, NY / Somers) then reached on a fielder's choice while Kindblom advanced to third on a throwing error. With a runner in scoring position and one out, Christine Gebhardt (Middletown, NJ / Middletown North) grounded out to first base to advance Mazzotta to second. But Annie Moore (Northridge, CA / El Camino Real) flew out to center field on the next at bat, giving Colgate pitcher Bailey Miskin (4-1) the win.

Georgetown 6, Manhattan 4
Lauren Rende (Ardsley, NY / Ardsley) and Jessie Rising (Little Egg Harbor, NJ / Pinelands) combined for four RBI in Manhattan's second game of the day, each hitting a home run in the contest. Kali Puppolo (Adams, MA / Herkimer CC) got her first start as a Jasper, going five innings and striking out two. 

Manhattan was the first to strike, as Rende singled to left field in the bottom of the first to drive in a run and put the Jaspers up 1-0. Manhattan held the lead into the third, when Georgetown's Noelle Holiday homered with a man on to make it 2-1 Hoyas. 

Rising took over for Puppolo in the sixth, retiring the first two batters she faced and striking out the third, who then reached base on a passed ball, extending the inning. Three hits later, the Hoyas had increased their lead to 4-1, before Rising earned another strike out to end the Georgetown rally. 

Mazzotta reached on a fielding error in the bottom of the sixth to set up Rising's two-run homer in the next at bat, getting the Jaspers within one of Georgetown at 4-3. But Holiday quickly extended the gap to 6-3, homering with one on in the top of the seventh.

With last ups in the bottom of the seventh, Rende sent one over the center field wall, the first homer of her collegiate career, to get the Jaspers within two. But relief pitcher Katie Vannicola retired two of the next three batters to close out the game for the Hoyas. 

Up Next:
Manhattan will face Cornell (9:00 am) and UAlbany (11:30 am) on Sunday, the Jaspers' third and final day in Madeira.