Softball defeats Saint Peters for third straight victory.
VINCENT DUSOVIC / COURTESY
Andrew Mannion, Sports Editor
Softball
The Manhattan University softball team capped off a strong week with three consecutive victories, taking down Sacred Heart in a doubleheader sweep on Wednesday before outlasting Saint Peter’s in a dramatic 11-10 win Friday afternoon at Gaelic Park.
The week opened with a rescheduled doubleheader against Sacred Heart, where the Jaspers leaned on dominant pitching and timely offense. In game one, Karissa Spring delivered a complete game shutout, allowing just four hits while retiring the final 11 batters she faced. Jamie Falotico’s bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning proved to be the difference in a 1-0 Jaspers victory.
In game two, the offense came alive early. Sophia Kiseloski drove in two runs with a single up the middle, and Manhattan tacked on two more in the fourth. Spring re-entered in the seventh with the tying run on third and shut the door for the save, completing the 4-3 sweep.
On Friday, the Jaspers battled through a back-and-forth slugfest against MAAC rival Saint Peter’s. After falling behind early, Manhattan rallied behind Karissa Spring, who went 3- for-4 with two RBI and scored the game-winning run in the sixth. Brianna Estevez added an inside-the-park home run in the fifth, the team’s first of the season. Victoria Diaz pitched a perfect seventh to lock up the win.
With momentum building, the Jaspers have now won three straight games and are showing signs of cohesion across the board—combining clutch hitting, heads-up baserunning, and versatile pitching. Spring has emerged as both a reliable arm and key offensive contributor, while Estevez, Kiseloski, and Hoag continue to pace the lineup.
MU looks to close out the Saint Peter’s series strong and climb further in the MAAC standings.
Golf
The Manhattan University golf team wrapped up a strong showing at the weather-shortened Jasper Spring Collegiate, finishing fourth after Saturday’s final round was canceled due to rain. The Jaspers held their position behind Iona, Fordham and Monmouth after a solid opening round at The Summit Club at Armonk.
Freshman Louis Vandeputte paced Manhattan with an even-par shooting 71, tying for eighth place overall. Róbert Leó Arnórsson followed with a +2, bouncing back after a slow start to tie for 15th. Juniors Dimitri Mihelakos and Akshay Mandadapu, along with freshmen Patrik Vinter and Luke O’Grady-Rodgers, all recorded 74s to keep the Jaspers competitive.
Despite the cancellation, head coach Keith Prokop was proud of the effort and is optimistic heading into the MAAC Championships next weekend, according to GoJaspers.
Manhattan plans to send a six-man squad to the conference tournament.
Women’s Lacrosse
MU women’s lacrosse put up a strong fight against first-place Iona but fell 10-8 on Wednesday at Gaelic Park. Olivia Cruthers led the Jaspers with three goals and three assists, while Juliana Mahan and Julia Kerr each added two goals. Manhattan outscored Iona 6-5 in the second half and won the draw control battle 13-9, but a late surge from the Gaels sealed the win. Jaspers Goalie Danielle Serbinski tallied 12 saves in the effort.
In a game against Fairfield on Saturday afternoon, the Jaspers were downed by a score of 20-6. All six scores came from different Jaspers. Fenandes and Bonitch scored the two goals of the first half, with Kerr, Fiola, Cruthers and Maher netting the ball.