SALISBURY, Md. – Opening up their season at the Margie Knight Tournament, the Manhattanville College softball team dropped a pair of 2-0 decisions to New Paltz and Muhlenberg on Saturday afternoon. The Valiants will officially begin the 2024 campaign 0-2, the first time the team has dropped their first two games since 2015.

Game One Recap: Manhattanville 0, New Paltz 2
The Valiant bats mustered just one hit to begin the season as Sydney Waldon caused the Manhattanville offense fits all game long. The New Paltz junior went the distance, striking out ten to navigate five walks and the Valiants' lone hit in the fifth to earn the complete game shutout.

Opposing her was Manhattanville's Charli Shinstine (Encinitas, Calif./San Dieguito Academy), returning to Purchase for one more go-around for her graduate season. The 2023 All-American and reigning Skyline Pitcher of the Year pitched well, allowing a pair of runs on three hits and four walks in her six innings while striking out eight. While Shinstine did what she could to keep the game within reach, the bats were unable to pick up their starter in the season-opener.

New Paltz got on the board in the third, loading the bases with a single and back-to-back walks with no outs. Shinstine began her effort to tightrope out of danger unscathed as she fielded a comebacker to begin a 1-2-3 double play. However, a wild pitch allowed Lauren Serrao to head home with the game's first run. Shinstine limited the damage to one, getting an inning-ending line out after another free pass to keep the deficit at 1-0.

Manhattanville's best chance to pull even came in the fifth. Olivia Fasce (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) dropped down a bunt single with one away to give the Valiants their first hit of the contest. Samantha Reyer (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) drew a walk to push the tying run up to second. Fasce moved up to third after Isabella Tansey (San Diego, Calif./University City) hit a deep fly out to center, but she would be held there as Samatha Walsh flied out to right to end the inning.

The Hawks added an insurance run in the sixth as Kate Hope delivered a pinch hit double to score Jaycee Filancia. Waldon retired the Valiants in order in the seventh with a pair of punchouts to hand Manhattanville their first loss of the year.

Game Two Recap: Manhattanville 0, Muhlenberg 2
Another dominant pitching performance in the opposing circle held the Valiants scoreless for the second time on the day as the Valiants were bested by Muhlenberg 2-0 in their finale for the day.

Justine Bergara made the start in the circle for the Mules as she scattered three hits and a walk in her five innings. The junior struck out a season-high five in her outing.

The Valiants did not have to wait as long for their first hit in this one as Sarah Harker (Irvine, Calif./Irvine) notched a two-out single in the bottom of the first. Nothing would come of that two-out hit, nor of Fasce's two-out walk and steal of second in the following inning as things remained scoreless entering the third.

The Mules broke through in the top of the third. With a runner on first and two away, Sophia Cicchetti lined a hit to the outfield. Lillie Teague circled the bases to come around to score, but Cicchetti was gunned down at second to half Muhlenberg's rally at the lone run.

Looking to help her own cause, Emily Mottoshiski (Craryville, N.Y./Taconic Hills) led off the third after allowing the run in the top half with a single and steal of second. She would remain stranded there as Bergara set the next three down in order.

Fasce once again found herself on base as the potential tying run in the fifth, leading off the inning with a double and advancing to third on an error on the left fielder. Despite the equalizer being 60 feet from home with no outs, the Valiants couldn't cash in as the next three were set down by Bergara to hold the 1-0 lead.

The Mules added an insurance run in the sixth on a Skyla Campisi single that plated Peri Kahn. That would be all Muhlenberg mustered against Mottoshiski who navigated eight hits to surrender just two runs. The junior did not allow a walk while striking out three.

Bergara gave way to Leeanna Zagrodnik in the circle who tossed the final two innings to lock down the save. Harker's sixth inning single was the only damage against the sophomore reliever who struck out one across her outing.

Up Next
The Valiants look to get their first win of the year when they close out the weekend tomorrow, taking on Carnegie Mellon and King's starting at 1:15 p.m.

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