PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville University softball team notched their 17th straight win and their eight straight doubleheader sweep on Friday afternoon, taking a pair of games from Hunter College. With the victories, the Valiants improved to 16-7 overall on the season.
Game One Recap: Manhattanville 8, Hunter 0
An early offensive rally allowed Manhattanville to take the opener of Friday's action via run rule in the fifth inning. The Valiants plated six runs in the second inning to blow the game open with an 8-0 lead, while the Hawks were only able to get a pair of hits off of Charli Shinstine (Encinitas, Calif./San Dieguito Academy).
The graduate student pitcher took to the circle, throwing a full five innings while striking out 12 of 19 batters faced. She gave up only two hits and two walks throughout the contest.
In the first inning, the Valiants offense got scoring started with a single for Samantha Walsh (Spring City, Pa./Owen J Roberts) and Sarah Harker (Irvine, Calif./Irvine). Amaya Esparza (San Diego, Calif./Granite Hills) then reached first on a fielding error by the third baseman as Walsh made her way home for the first run of the day. Juliana Parkes (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada/Belmont Secondary) later hit a sacrifice fly to right field allowing Harker to come home for a 2-0 lead going to the second inning.
To keep the good times rolling, Manhattanville recorded six runs on eight hits through the inning. It would begin with a single through the left side for Olivia Fasce (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) as Isabella Tansey (San Diego, Calif./University City) followed up with an RBI single to center field. Walsh then tallied an RBI single to second base to give the Valiants a four-run lead. It would be Harker singling up the middle to bring Walsh home as Esparza launched a two-run homerun to left field to go up, 7-0. The inning closed out with an RBI single for Parkes to take a 8-0 lead into the third inning.
Manhattanville tallied another pair of hits through the third, fourth, and fifth inning, while holding Hunter scoreless. Harker led offensively going 3-for-3 with one RBI and two runs of her own as Esparza tallied one hit (HR) with three RBI and one run.
Game Two Recap: Manhattanville 6, Hunter 0
The Valiants completed the sweep with six runs on 13 hits in the finale of the doubleheader.
It was another quick start for Manhattanville as they plated their first run in the first innings. Walsh doubled to left center field as Esparza singled through the left side bringing her counterpart home.
Later in the second inning, the Valiants found themselves with bases loaded as Tansey reached on a fielder's choice with Alexa Lazur (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon) out at home. Walsh then notched a 2 RBI single to center field to take a 4-0 lead heading into the third inning.
It would be another two runs scored in the fifth inning as Walsh and Harker both singled to get on base. Coleman then grounded out with a run scoring. Parkes singled to right field to bring the final run around to secure the win.
Walsh led the team at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a pair of runs and 2 RBI.
Emily Mottoshiski (Craryville, N.Y./Taconic Hills) pitched a full seven innings on the rubber, only giving up a pair of hits and one walk. She struck out a season-high six batters, facing 24. Her season ERA improves to 3.84 with only seven regular season doubleheaders remaining.
The Valiants will hit the road for a pair of conference doubleheaders this weekend as they take on Sarah Lawrence tomorrow, Saturday Apr. 20 with the first pitch at 12 p.m.
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