DALLAS, Pa. – The Valiant offense went silent for most of the day, but the Manhattanville College softball team rallied in the final inning of game two to pick up a 2-1 win and salvage a split with Misericordia University after a 1-0 (9 inn.) game-one loss in MAC Freedom action at Anderson Field.
Entering the day averaging over nine runs per game and riding a record 18-game winning streak, Manhattanville (19-1, 5-1 MAC Freedom) had troubles all day long against Cougar hurler Bailee Schies, scoring just two runs on 12 hits in 16 innings. However, the late comeback allowed the Valiants to stay in a tie for first place with Misericordia (14-8, 5-1 MAC Freedom) in a battle of the conference's top teams.
GAME ONE The first game of the day went eight scoreless innings before Misericordia scratched across a run in the bottom of the ninth to win, 1-0.
Sophomore
Alycia Feeney (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) was masterful in holding Misericordia hitless for the first 8.1 innings of the game, striking out 10 batters and allowing only four runners to reach on a pair of walks and two hit batters. Unfortunately, the Valiants managed only six singles against Schies without scoring a run, and so the Cougars continued to get chances at the plate to solve Feeney (10-1).
In the ninth, Lori Brennan broke up the no-hitter with a one-out single, and pinch-runner Jessica Pluta moved to second on a hit-batter. A fielder's choice and an infield single loaded the bases with two outs, and Cailey Ware was hit by a pitch to give the Cougars the improbable victory.
Schies struck out six and ceded only six hits in nine innings to earn the win. The Valiants left seven runners on base in the game, including three in scoring position.
GAME TWO The Manhattanville offense continued to struggle in game two, but the Valiants woke up just in time to score two runs in the seventh inning and pick up a 2-1 win.
After managing only three hits in the first six innings against Schies (7-4), junior
Alicia Marino (Mahopac, N.Y./Pleasantville) led off the seventh with a double and immediately came home after another two-bagger from freshman
Aarin Hartenstein (Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge). The game-winning hit came off the bat of freshman pinch-hitter
Kristyn Pareres (Bronxville, N.Y./The Ursuline School), whose first career hit was a one-out single to right field that scored Hartenstein for the go-ahead run.
The late comeback saved freshman
Julianna Orrico (Bronx, N.Y./Preston) from a similar fate to Feeney, as the lefthander was just as impressive in allowing only four hits and one run – including only one hit over the final six scoreless frames. Orrico (8-0) remained unbeaten on the season with the complete-game win.
With tomorrow's doubleheader with New York University already postponed, Manhattanville will look to get the offense back on track on Wednesday when the Valiants host the College of Mount Saint Vincent on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
