BUFFALO, NY. - The Manhattan softball team split their Wednesday doubleheader against Canisius winning game one 9-3, before dropping game two 4-1.
Game One – Manhattan 9, Canisius 3
Manhattan scored early and often in this one, loading the bases in the second inning for Gabriella Mazzotta, who would drive in the first two runs of the game with a single. Lauren Rende would come up next and drive in two runs of her own with a single, giving the Jaspers a 4-0 lead. Canisius would get an RBI single in the bottom of the inning to make the score 4-1 after two. The Jaspers would add a little insurance in the fourth, with an RBI groundout, before Canisius answered with a run in the bottom half, making the score 5-2. This would remain the score until the top of the seventh when Rende would come up with the bases loaded and two outs. Rende would connect on a grand slam, breaking the game open, and sending her RBI total to six on the game, a career-high for the two time All-MAAC honoree. Canisius added one more run in the bottom half of the inning, but it would not be nearly enough as Manhattan would come away with a 9-3 victory.
Ava Metzger was awarded the win, tossing four innings and allowing two earned runs. Mollie Charest would come in to finish the game, throwing three innings while allowing no earned runs.
Game Two – Canisius 4, Manhattan 1
Game two started with the Jaspers striking first, on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Maddy Weir. Canisius answered in the bottom of the inning with a run via a wild pitch, followed by a solo home run by Gianna Fazzolari. The pitcher, Megan Giese added some insurance for herself with a two-run home run in the second inning to extend the lead to 4-1. This score would be a final, as the next five innings would all be scoreless.
Giese threw a no-hitter for the Golden Griffins, picking up the win. Ava Metzger was charged with the loss for the Jaspers before Alexandra Hess came in to throw five shutout innings.
UP NEXT: The Jaspers will continue MAAC play with a series at Quinnipiac this weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader Saturday, April 27th starting at noon, before playing the third and final game Sunday, April 28th at noon.