BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Following a number of weather-related schedule changes down in Alabama, the Manhattanville College softball team returned to action on Wednesday night, splitting a doubleheader against No. 5 Birmingham-Southern College. The split moves the Valiants' record on the season to 2-6 as the team concludes their season-opening spring break trip.
Game One Recap: Manhattanville 2, Birmingham-Southern 6
A three-run second inning for the host Panthers proved to be Âtoo steep of a hill for the Valiants to climb back up, dropping the opener by a final of 6-2.
Charli Shinstine (Encinitas, Calif./San Dieguito Academy) tossed a full six innings in the loss, throwing 111 pitches and scattering six runs (five earned) on eight hits and five walks while striking out seven.
Leah Wood got the Panthers' offense started with a two-run home run in the second inning. Hailee Bryan tacked on an insurance run after legging out an infield single and coming around to score on a wild pitch.
After helping get herself a 3-0 lead, Bryan was able to hold the Valiants in check for most of the game. The sophomore pitcher went a full seven innings and allowed six hits and two runs while striking out five Manhattanville batters. The Panthers would add another run in the third before the Valiants would get on the board following a
Giovanna Liggett (Huntington Beach, Calif./Edison) solo shot in the fourth made the score 4-1.
Birmingham-Southern played small ball in the sixth to tack on to their lead. The Panthers laid down back-to-back RBI bunts to pull ahead 6-1.
Amaya Esparza (Descansco, Calif./Granite Hills) led off the top of the seventh with a solo home run, and while
Melissa Lopez (Whittier, Calif./California) followed it up with a single, she would remain strained on first as the next three Valiants were retired to end the contest.
Game Two Recap: Manhattanville 6, Birmingham-Southern 4
The Valiants responded in the finale quickly, plating four runs in the first inning. Manhattanville loaded the bases after
Sarah Harker (Irvine, Calif./Irvine) and
Samantha Walsh (Spring City, Pa./Owen J Roberts) hit leadoff singles and Liggett drew a walk. With one away,
Jayleen Torres (Downey, Calif./Downey) lined a ball into left field to bring home a pair of runs. Cassidy Dickson had difficulty finding the zone with the early pressure she faced, as wild pitches allowed Liggett and Torres to cross the plate and give the visitors and early 4-0 lead.
The Panthers were quick to respond with three runs in the bottom half of the frame. A Kailey Walters sac fly brought home the first run before Jada Askew homered two batters later. In the second, Birmingham-Southern completed the comeback after Izzy Berkopec hit a homer of her own to tie the game at 4-4. A follow-up walk spelled the end of the outing for starter
Emily Mottoshiski (Craryville, N.Y./Taconic Hills), who allowed four runs on two hits and a pair of walks.
Shinstine was called upon in relief and did a stellar job the rest of the way. The junior allowed just one hit and walked three, striking out five and holding the Panthers scoreless through the remainder of the game.
With the game still tied 4-4 in the fourth, Liggett drew a two-out walk to bring Esparza up to the dish. The sophomore drilled her second home run of the night to give the Valiants a 6-4 lead that Shinstine protected the rest of the way. No Panthers advanced past second base over the final four innings of play as the Valiants split the series against the fifth-ranked team in the nation to pick up the team's second win of the season.
Up Next
The Valiants are headed back north following the conclusion of the spring break road trip. Manhattanville will be away from action for a few weeks, next playing on Mar. 24 in a doubleheader at William Paterson.
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