PURCHASE, N.Y. - Continuing their explosive display from inside the batter's box, the Manhattanville University softball team swept the visiting St. Joseph's-Brooklyn, 16-0 and 15-0. With the results, the Valiants have plated 70 runs across the weekend, the highest mark since the COVID-19-impacted season of 2021. Manhattanville now resides with a 13-7 record, and a perfect 8-0 mark in conference play, sitting tied with Farmingdale atop the conference standings. 

Game One: Manhattanville 16, SJBK 0 (5 Innings) 

The first game of the weekend was controlled by the Valiants ace, Charli Shinstine (Encinitas, Calif./San Dieguito Academy), for her fifth shutout of the season. The graduate pitcher hurled all five innings in the circle, striking out four and only allowing two hits across the 85 pitches thrown. 

Manhattanville jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning after getting two runners on, Sarah Harker (Irvine, Calif./Irvine) drove in one run with her single up the middle, eventually making the trip around the bases thanks to the bat of Amaya Esparza (San Diego, Calif./Granite Hills) in the next at-bat. 

In the next bottom frame, the Valiants put up a crooked seven spot, kicking off the run with an Olivia Fasce (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) RBI single putting the contest at 4-0. Two batters later, Harker would double to left field driving in two runs, and marking that as her 100th career run batted in. Deja vu would strike as Esparza would drive in more runs with a single to left field, having the inning capped off with a two RBI deep shot by the southpaw Juliana Parkes (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada/Belmont Secondary) to put the contest at 10-0 in the Valiants favor. 

The Valiants would continue to add to their expansive lead in the next time batting with Samantha Walsh (Spring City, Pa./Owen J Roberts) bringing home a runner with her drive to left field. Harker would subsequently double to left center making way for another run, as lightning struck a third time with Esparza singling through the right side of the infield to push the score to 14-0. 

Manhattanville would finish the contest with two more runs scoring in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a miscue in the outfield, seeing the final of game one show 16-0 in the Valiants favor. 

Game Two: Manhattanville 15, SJBK 0 (5 Innings) 

The Valiants twirled back-to-back gems in the circle, as Emily Mottoshiski (Craryville, N.Y./Taconic Hills) tossed a one-hitter in her five innings spent on the rubber for Manhattanville. Mottoshiski used 68 pitches to strike out four batters, only surrendering the aforementioned one hit. 

Manhattanville continued their scorching hot-hitting ways as game two got underway, putting up a run just two batters into the contest, with Walsh driving in Fasce. Later in the inning, the Valiants loaded the bases and brought in a run on a hit-by-pitch for a 2-0 lead. One batter later, Parkes would drive in the runner standing on third base on a fielder's choice, leading to Alexa Lazur (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon) singling through the left side of the infield bringing in two runs, for a 5-0 lead after the first inning. 

The Valiants would continue to add onto their lead, with their second seven-run inning of the day. Things would get started with the help of the Bears' defense, as the shortstop dropped a fly ball, leading to the baserunner on third to cross the plate. Two batters later, Fasce would walk in another run, making way for Harker to bring in two more tallies with a single to right. Parkes would drive in the final run of the inning on a single, giving the Valiants a 12-0 lead after three. 

Manhattanville would plate three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, with Madison Gonzales (Azusa, Calif./Sacred Heart) singling thr ough the left side and Ruby Wilson (Merrimack, N.H./Bishop Guertin) hitting a single of her own to push the contest to 15-0 in the Valiants favor. 

Up Next 

The Valiants return to Valiants Field on Tuesday, when they welcome in John Jay for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. 

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