Buffalo, NY - Graduate student Nicole Williams (Ansonia, CT / St. Joseph's) struck out 13 in firing a two-hit masterpiece as No. 6 Manhattan defeated No. 4 Farifield by a 2-0 score at the Demske Sports Complex.
* Williams struck out the side twice and route to improving improving to 11-2 on the year, yielding just two hits and three walks over 7.0 dominating innings of work.
* With the victory, the Jaspers move on to the winner's bracket final against No. 8 Marist on Friday, May 14 at 2:00 pm.
* Williams was in complete control from the start and struck out the side in the first while setting the tone for the afternoon.
?? What he said!#JasperNation pic.twitter.com/8rp6gFRlMx
— Manhattan Softball (@JaspersSoftball) May 13, 2021
* After allowing a leadoff triple in the second, the Nutmeg State native struck out the next batter, before inducing a line-out and after surrendering a four-pitch walk, fanned her fifth batter of the game to evade further damage.
E2 | Williams works around a leadoff triple to keep it scoreless!
— Manhattan Softball (@JaspersSoftball) May 13, 2021
K Counter: ?????????? pic.twitter.com/RgdIJQtsmt
* Fairfield posted its biggest threat of the game in the third inning, placing runners at second-and-third with two outs, only to be denied by Williams, who left them stranded by again striking out the side.
E3 | Williams strands two in scoring position while against striking out the side to keep it scoreless!
— Manhattan Softball (@JaspersSoftball) May 13, 2021
K Counter: ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/VtOWdxJ9c7
* Manhattan finally broke through in the fifth inning with a single run. Senior Victoria Alonso (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) led off with a single, before stealing second and moving to third on junior Jessie Rising's (Little Falls, NJ / Highlands) infield single.
Alonso with the one-out single pic.twitter.com/NDlKl7kg5D
— Manhattan Softball (@JaspersSoftball) May 13, 2021
* Freshman Kristyn Smith (South Plainfield, NJ / Mount Saint Dominic Academy) then drew a walk to load up the bases and forced Fairfield to the pen. After reliever Bailey Taylor got the second out, junior Annie Moore (Northridge, CA / El Camino Real) battled back from a two-strike count to lace a full-count offering to centerfield for a RBI single that plated Alonso for the game's first run.
Moore gives Manhattan a 1-0 lead with a two-out, bases-loaded RBI single to center. pic.twitter.com/kuUopazQXb
— Manhattan Softball (@JaspersSoftball) May 13, 2021
* After taking the lead, Williams responded with back-to-back perfect frames as the Jaspers took a 1-0 lead to the seventh.
E5 | No strikeouts for Williams in the bottom of the frame, but she made this impressive web gem!
— Manhattan Softball (@JaspersSoftball) May 13, 2021
Manhattan 1 Fairfield 0#JasperNation pic.twitter.com/SuaXmfrTxj
* In the top of the frame, sophomore Gabriella Mazzotta (Somers, NY / Somers) led off with a single, before stealing to second. She then advanced to third on Alonso's sacrifice bunt, before scoring when the ball got away from the first baseman.
The Jaspers add to the lead with a sacrifice bunt.
— Manhattan Softball (@JaspersSoftball) May 13, 2021
Manhattan 2 Fairfield 0 with 1 out in the seventh. pic.twitter.com/cRiFGLnq4c
* Williams allowed a runner via an error, but bounced back and got the final two batter of the game on strikeouts to punctuate her 13-strikeout performance.
FINAL // Williams closes it out with her season-best 13th strikeout!
— Manhattan Softball (@JaspersSoftball) May 13, 2021
K Counter: ?????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/CwqI2EtzhA
* Seven different members of the Green & White reached base safely on the day, with Alonso, Deemer, Mazzotta, Moore and Rising all singling.
* Coach Pardalis On The Win
Coach P ????????? on the win!#JasperNation pic.twitter.com/sBShlizdaC
— Manhattan Softball (@JaspersSoftball) May 13, 2021
* Lacey Olaff tripled while Kaitlin Hoffman singled to lead the way for the Stags.