WHITTIER, Calif. – A pair of complete games from Emily Mottoshiski (Craryville, N.Y./Taconic Hills) led the Manhattanville University softball team to a pair of victories in its final day of play on Spring Break as the Valiants defeated Whittier College and Bethel University. The Valiants are headed back to the east coast with a 4-2 record to open the year.

Game One Recap: Manhattanville 7, Whittier 3
Two years ago, Mottoshiski stepped into the circle of Palmer Field to take on Whittier. It was not an outing to remember for the Valiant arm, as Mottoshiski was tagged for nine runs in three innings as Manhattanville fell to the Poets 11-3 in five innings.

In her return to the same field, the now senior was determined to make this venture out to Whittier a more positive one. However, the Poets had a gameplan to play spoiler again as the home team tagged Mottoshiski for a three-run homer off the bat of Arianna Salazar in the bottom of the first to spot Whittier an early lead.

The Valiants struck back to pick up their starter in the top of the second, loading the bases up on three straight singles by Lianna Lara (Santa Clarita, Calif./Sierra Canyon School), Rachel Coleman (Lake Forest, Calif./Mission Viejo) and Samantha Reyer (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside). Manhattanville then demonstrated patience at the plate with Alexa Lazur (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon) and Isabella Tansey (San Diego, Calif./University City) both drawing bases loaded walks to play the Valiants' first two runs. The bats would have to wait to continue building off the momentum as a rain delay temporarily suspended play. When the weather cleared up, Olivia Fasce (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) brought some more than sunshine to the Valiant dugout as she laced a two-run double to left center to put Manhattanville up 4-3.

Given a fresh start to work with, Mottoshiski locked in upon her return to the rubber, allowing just three more hits over the remainder of the game. No Poet baserunners advanced past first base after the first inning as Mottoshiski settled in masterfully. Across her seven innings, the senior allowed just the three first inning runs on six hits and three walks while striking out one, getting 13 flyouts.

Manhattanville added insurance runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Reyer provided the Valiants' second homer of the season with a solo shot in the fourth, while Lara and Coleman added RBI singles in the fifth to stretch Manhattanville's lead up to 7-3.

Mottoshiski worked around singles in the sixth and seventh to preserve the win, picking up her second victory of the year.

Game Two Recap: Manhattanville 11, Bethel 3 (Six Innings)
Mottoshiski went right back to work for Game Two, tossing another complete game in the neutral-site showdown against Bethel.

After a shutdown top of the first, the Valiants clawed out three runs in the bottom half as Manhattanville capitalized on three Royal errors. Samantha Walsh (Spring City, Pa./Owen J Roberts), Fasce and Lara all came around to score unearned runs to provide their arm an early lead to work with.

The wet conditions continued to play frustrations over the course of the game as Bethel repaid the favor with a pair of unearned runs of their own in the third. Manhattanville responded in the bottom half as Lazur laced a double down the third base line to chase Angelina Cruz (Oceanside, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista) home. The Valiants threatened to do more damage, but would leave the bases loaded and carry a 4-2 lead into the fourth.

Bethel went back on the offensive as Mandalyn Franks legged out a one-out triple and scored on Ellie Baker's ground out the following at bat. That would prove to be the final damage done against Mottoshiski in the game, as the Royals were held in check in the fifth despite a Manhattanville error and a single before getting set down in order in the sixth.

The Valian bats brought an early end to the contest by erupting for seven runs in the sixth to enact the run-rule victory. Loading the bases with two away, Sydni Brooks (Anaheim, Calif./Cypress) drew a walk to bring home Walsh before Reyer beat out an infield single to score Hyli De Los Santos (Tustin, Calif./Irvine) ahead of another bases loaded walk by Lazur plated Emma Foster (Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcos). Tansey then dropped the hammer with a grand slam for her second career homer for the 11-3 walk-off win.

Up Next
The Valiants will have some time to get reacclimated to the east coast before returning to action on March 22^nd for a doubleheader at The College of New Jersey. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
 

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