FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville University softball team began its postseason run on Thursday night with an 8-0 shutout victory over No. 3 Saint Joseph's Brooklyn. The win advances the second-seeded Valiants into the winner's bracket of the double elimination tournament where the team will open up Friday's action against top-seeded and host Farmingdale, which was also victorious in opening day action on Thursday.

Riding the success of what carried them into the postseason, the nation's top scoring offense hung six runs across the opening two innings en route to a run rule victory while Charli Shinstine (Encinitas, Calif./San Dieguito Academy) locked in to limit the Bears to just two hits on the day.

Both of those hits would come in the first inning as Saint Joseph's looked to pounce on the 2023 Skyline Conference Pitcher of the Year early. Shinstine had other plans however, and got a pair of ground outs and a strikeout to leave a pair stranded and bring the Valiants up to bat.

With two on and two away, Rachel Coleman (Lake Forest, Calif./Mission Viejo) stepped in the box and delivered the first blow of the affair, smacking a ball over the left field fence for a three-run homer. Coleman's first deep fly of the season brought home Sarah Harker (Irvine, Calif./Irvine) and Amaya Esparza (San Diego, Calif./Granite Hills) with the game's opening runs.

Shinstine settled in and retired the side in order in the second, allowing the Valiant bats to continue scorching. A leadoff error opened the door for Manhattanville as Alexa Lazur (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon) doubled to put a pair in scoring position. Olivia Fasce (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) dropped a picture-perfect bunt, drawing the throw to first to bring Samantha Reyer (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) home. Isabella Tansey (San Diego, Calif./University City) doubled and Samantha Walsh (Spring City, Pa./Owen J Roberts) singled to center to plate a run apiece, swelled the Valiant lead up to 6-0.

The pair of innings brought an end to Leila Heller's start at 1.2 innings, with the Bears turning to Makena Burr in relief. Burr got out of the second with no further damage and held the Valiants in check over the next two innings. Unfortunately for Saint Joseph's, the Bears were unable to solve Shinstine in the meantime as a walk provided the lone baserunner for the No. 3 seed across the middle three innings. Despite drawing a walk and a hit batter getting a pair on in the fifth, Shinstine did what she does best and flipped a switch to get three strikeouts to end the frame.

Manhattanville brought an end to the game in the bottom of the fifth after Coleman was hit by a pitch and Parkes singled up the middle. The brought Reyer up to the dish, lacing a bases-clearing triple to right center to put Manhattanville up 8-0 and enact the run-rule victory.

Shinstine improved to 14-5 on the year, striking out eight with the two hits, two walks and hit batter the few blemishes on her line. Her ERA drops to 1.47 on the season with her 11^th shutout of the year.
Walsh finished 3-for-3 in the two hole, with her and Reyer the only Valiants to record multiple hits in the win.

Up Next
It will be the third meeting of the season between the top two teams in the conference tomorrow as No. 2 Manhattanville takes on No. 1 Farmingdale at 1 p.m. The winner advances to Saturday's finals, while the losing team awaits the winner of Saint Joseph's Brooklyn-Old Westbury in an elimination game to wrap up the second day of the tournament.

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