PURCHASE, N.Y. - In their 2025 home opener, the Manhattanville University softball team showcased their offensive prowess, outhitting their counterparts en route to a doubleheader sweep of Russell Sage, taking game one 9-3 and dominating in the second tilt 17-2. After plating 26 runs on the day, the Valiants now move to 14-6 on the season.
Game One: Manhattanville 9, Russell Sage 3
Continuing her two-way duties, Emily Mottoshiski (Craryville, N.Y./Taconic Hills) tossed seven innings of two earned run ball, while also striking out three batters. In the box she tallied a 2-for-3 day while making the trip around the bases once.
Also making noise in the batter's box, Samantha Walsh (Spring City, Pa./Owen J Roberts) put together a perfect performance from the dish, going 4-for-4 while driving in two runs.
The Gators were able to strike first in the contest, after loading the bases from a single, double, and then a fielder's choice hit the pitcher's way. A wild pitch in the next at-bat would score the first run of the game, giving Sage a 1-0 lead.
Russell Sage would hold that one run lead until the bottom of the second inning, at which point the Valiants netted two baserunners from a lead-off single and a subsequent single through the right side of the infield. Cady Sickler (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) stepped into the box and gave the Valiants a 3-1 lead with a blast to left center, clearing the bases.
Walsh would lead off the home half of the third inning by the means of a triple past the outstretched arms of the right fielder, being driven home by Sydni Brooks (Anaheim, Calif./Cypress) via a sacrifice fly to center, making it a 4-1 margin.
Gators would halve the Valiant lead in the next time in the box, reaching thanks to a misplay at shortstop, being able to make their way to second base. An RBI single by Hannah Smith made way for the run to score at 4-2.
Sage would then put themselves within one run, leading off with a double and a bunt single for the Gators. Grounding out to the shortstop, the runner placed on third base score, bringing the score to 4-3.
Emma Foster (Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcos) reestablished the Valiant lead with a leadoff homer to right, followed up by a Walsh double to the same place in the park, being moved up in the next at-bat by a wild pitch. Walsh was brought home by a fielder's choice RBI to shortstop by Alexa Lazur (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon), making it a 6-3 margin for Manhattanville.
Walsh and Lazur would deal damage again in the next time up, as they both laced back-to-back doubles to right and left field, adding on three more runs for the Valiants to see the score sit at 9-3, a tally that would hold until the final out.
Foster turned in a 2-for-4 performance, with the aforementioned home run and one run batted in. Angelina Cruz (Oceanside, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista) drove in two runs in her four at-bats.
Game Two: Manhattanville 17, Russell Sage 2 (5 Innings)
Walsh took to the circle for game two, firing five innings on zero earned runs while striking out four batters.
Cruz and Rachel Coleman (Lake Forest, Calif./Mission Viejo) both sported perfect batting marks, going 3-for-3, with Cruz driving in three runs and Coleman plating five.
The Gators would get runners in scoring position in the first inning, driving in both from back-to-back singles from the Sage offense, to third and center, mounting a 2-0 lead.
Manhattanville would put up a crooked four spot in the bottom half of the inning, after following the lead of the counterparts, getting runners in scoring position. Cruz would single to third base, clearing the bases to tie the game at two-all. A wild pitch would eventually score Cruz having the Valiants take the lead and never look back. The final run of the inning came from a Samantha Reyer (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) single up the middle, making it a 4-2 ballgame.
Manhattanville subsequently had an offensive explosion in the bottom of the second, plating twelve runs on eight hits, being emphasized by Coleman's three-run blast to right center, seeing the score sit at 16-2.
The Valiants added on another run in the bottom of the fourth with a Coleman double, capping off her five RBI day, and seeing the score settle at 17-2.
Up Next
The Valiants resume conference play, heading down to Old Westbury for a rematch of the Skyline Conference Championship final, on Saturday for a 12:00 first pitch.
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