Baseball competed against Rider University this past week. GOJASPERS.COM / COURTESY
Emmanouel Sofillas, Asst. Sports Editor
Women’s Softball
Manhattan’s women’s softball team traveled to North Andover, Mass. on Saturday afternoon, sweeping Merrimack in a doubleheader by scores of 2-1 and 2-0 at Martone-Mejail Field.
In game one, defense dominated early, with neither side recording a hit through the middle of the second inning. The Warriors loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the second on a single and two walks, but starter Karissa Spring forced a groundout to escape the jam. Isabella Coulman reached on an error to give Manhattan its first baserunner, but the score remained tied at zero through three.
The Jaspers broke through in the top of the fourth, when freshman shortstop Samantha Kelly launched her second home run of the season over the left field fence to put Manhattan ahead. The offense quieted over the next two innings, outside of an Angelina Gencarelli double in the fifth. With one out in the sixth, Kaitlyn Moody grounded out to second to score Kelly, who had reached third on a Natalye DeBus double, pushing the lead to 2-0.
Merrimack made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh, knocking an RBI double to left field to cut the deficit to 2-1 and getting a runner to third with two outs. However, a popup to third base ended the game in Manhattan’s favor.
In game two, the Jaspers came out swinging immediately. Singles from Brianna Estevez and DeBus loaded the bases in the top of the first, and Moody followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to put Manhattan up 1-0 early. DeBus took control from the circle, retiring all but one batter she faced through the fifth inning and keeping Merrimack off the board despite runners reaching in each of the first two frames.
A sixth-inning error put Moody on base, but pinch runner Madison Douglass was thrown out at home on the same play to keep the score at 1-0. Merrimack threatened again with runners on first and second and one out in the bottom of the sixth, but a 5-3 double play snuffed out the rally. In the top of the seventh, Sophia Hannappel doubled with one out, and two batters later, Estevez singled up the middle to bring in an insurance run. DeBus closed out the win efficiently, recording a strikeout and a groundout to end the game.
Moody led the Jaspers with two RBI on the day, one in each contest. Both Estevez and DeBus tallied three hits apiece in the afternoon, with all of Estevez’s coming in the nightcap. Spring and DeBus each threw a complete game, their fifth and sixth wins of the season respectively, combining for eight strikeouts off seven hits allowed.
Baseball
Manhattan’s baseball team traveled to Lawrenceville, N.J. on Saturday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader against Rider University at Sonny Pittaro Field by scores of 6-4 and 13-9.
In game one, the Jaspers got on the board in the top of the third when Jeremy Sosa worked a walk, moved to third on a Ryan Lordier base knock to center, and scored on a Guriyandel Salva base hit to make it 1-0. After Rider tied the game, Manhattan erupted for four runs in the sixth. Hunter Sute drew a walk and Vincent Samuel followed with an infield single, before Andreaus Lewis laced a full-count RBI single to right to retake the lead. Justin Best added a sacrifice fly to bring home Samuel, and Trevor Hansen capped the inning with his eighth home run of the season to push the advantage to four. With Rider threatening late in the ninth, Sute delivered a key double to score Lordier and provide the cushion needed. Reliever Garrett Theile then closed the door on just three pitches, inducing two foul popouts and a double play to secure the win.
Game two was a back-and-forth affair from the start. After falling behind by six through two innings, Manhattan stormed back with five runs in the third, headlined by Sute’s three-run home run to right field. Hansen drew a bases-loaded walk and Lewis crossed on a wild pitch to pull the Jaspers within two. The two clubs continued to trade blows deep into the game, with Manhattan tying it three separate times. Lordier singled home Mayer in the eighth, a wild pitch allowed Sosa to score and cut the deficit to one, and Salva singled to knot it at eight. Lewis then delivered a solo home run to tie the game for the third time in the ninth, but Rider answered with a walk-off home run in the bottom half to end it.
Sute was one of the day’s standout performers, going 3-for-8 with a home run, four RBI, two runs scored, and two walks. Lewis was exceptional at the plate, going 6-for-9 with a home run, a double, and a stolen base across both games. Salva went 3-for-10 with two RBI and a stolen base, while Lordier, Best, and Lewis each contributed multi-hit efforts as well. Starting pitcher Hudson Pergamit was sharp in game one, striking out six while working 5.2 innings, and reliever Chris Fidanza earned the win with four strikeouts over 2.1 innings of work.
“Despite the loss in game two, I’m really proud of the fight and effort today,” head coach Steven Rosen said in a statement to GoJaspers. “We didn’t quit; we threw punches all day and put ourselves in a position to sweep a doubleheader. There’s no quit in this team.”