SALISBURY, Md. – Spending the weekend in The Old Line State, the Manhattanville University softball team split its Saturday action down in Maryland. The Valiants fell to No. 6 Salisbury in the day's opening action before taking a 4-2 game against SUNY Cortland in the afternoon.
Game One Recap: Manhattanville 1, No. 11 Salisbury 6
The Valiants had three looks at the Sea Gulls a year ago, with Salisbury putting on full display why they were a nationally ranked team. All three games ended in five innings via run rule victory for Salisbury, including no-hitting Manhattanville in the final meeting in the NCAA Regionals last May.
Returning to Margie Knight Stadium, the Valiants set out to prove they were capable of going toe-to-toe with one of the top programs in the country. Manhattanville was able to collect as many hits against the Sea Gulls on Saturday as they did across all three games combined a year ago and were able to push the No. 11 team in the nation to the limit in a pitching duel before Salisbury broke through with a five-run sixth to break a 1-1 tie.
The Sea Gulls struck early, collecting three hits off
Emily Mottoshiski (Craryville, N.Y./Taconic Hills) in the first inning to plate a run to go up 1-0. That would be all from the Salisbury offense for the next four frames as Mottoshiski settled in, allowing just a hit an inning through the end of the fifth to keep it a one-run game.
The Valiants collected four hits across the first five innings but were only able to get one runner past second base in the early going. That changed with a two-out rally in the sixth, with
Angelina Cruz (Oceanside, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista) depositing a double into right field.
Cady Sickler (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) replaced her on the basepaths as a pinch runner, with the speed change immediately paying off as Sickler raced home on
Rachel Coleman's (Lake Forest, Calif./Mission Viejo) RBI single to tie the game up at 1-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth.
A double play to erase a leadoff Sea Gull walk quickly set down a pair in the bottom of the sixth, but Salisbury was able to take advantage of second chances to flip the script on the game. A pair of walks and a fielding error allowed Salisbury to load the bases against Mottoshiski before a hit by pitch, a Sam Flowers RBI single and a three-run Carrie Jacoby double put the home side ahead 6-1. The rally closed the book on the Valiants' senior arm, who fell to 4-3 with the loss. Over 5.2 innings, Mottoshiski allowed six runs, with only one being earned, on nine hits and three walks.
Jori Wilkendorf (Livermore, Calif./Livermore) recorded the final out of the inning in relief to put a end to the Sea Gull outburst.
Josie O'Leary (Pawling, N.Y./Pawling) collected a base knock in the bottom of the seventh but the Valiants were unable to get to Sydney Adolfson again, who improved to 11-0 on the year with the complete game win.
Coleman and
Alexa Lazur (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon) each tallied a pair of hits for Manhattanville.
Samantha Walsh (Spring City, Pa./Owen J Roberts) hit a double in her 1-for-3 effort at the plate.
Game Two Recap: Manhattanville 4, SUNY Cortland 2
The Valiants bounced back to pick up a win to close out the day, defeating the Red Dragons of SUNY Cortland in the first meeting between the two teams since 2010.
Oliva Fasce set the table in the first, reaching on a hit-by-pitch and stealing second to put herself in scoring position with two outs. Cruz delivered with a single through the right side of the infield, bringing Fasce home with the game's opening run.
Manhattanville tacked on two more runs in the third as
Isabella Tansey (San Diego, Calif./University City) drew a leadoff walk and Fasce beat out a bunt single to put a pair on. Walsh sent a ball back up the middle to bring home Tansey, while Fasce would score one batter later on Cruz' ground out to put the Valiants up 3-0.
The Valiants were poised to blow the game open in the fourth as singles by
Samantha Reyer (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) and Lazur ahead of Sickler's walk loaded the bases with no outs.
Johanna Granillo (Reseda, Calif,/Cleveland) plated one run on a sacrifice fly, but that would be the only damage done by Manhattanville in the inning as Gianna Endieveri got a fly out and ground out to limit the damage to the one run.
The runs came in support of Wilkendorf, who made her first start since Mar. 11. The sophomore pitched well, throwing 4.1 scoreless innings while holding Cortland to just three hits. Wilkendorf struck out one and issued four walks, two of which came in the fifth that prompted a call to the pen. Mottoshiski came in on relief to strand both inherited runners to keep Wilkendorf in line for her second win of the season.
Mottoshiski worked around a pair of hits in the sixth to keep the Red Dragons off the board, but would be tagged for a two-run homer by Halle Wright in the seventh. Cortland continued to fight, hitting two more singles to bring the winning run to the plate, but Mottoshiski got Kaeli McAnally to roll over on one to second base for the final out of the game and earn her first collegiate save.
Cruz added another multihit game in Saturday's finale, finishing 2-for-4 against the Red Dragons. Reyer went 2-for-2 with a walk, while Fasce, Walsh and Lazur accounted for Manhattanville's other three hits.
Emma Foster (Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcos) also swiped a bag alongside Fasce.
Up Next
The Valiants will see both teams again on Sunday, opening against Cortland at 11 a.m. before closing out the weekend against Salisbury at 3 p.m.
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