Marist Tops Manhattan, 4-3
MAAC Sports
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. - Third-seeded Marist College earned a 4-3 win over second-seeded Manhattan College in game one of the 2011 MAAC Softball Championship at Marist's Softball Park at Gartland Field.
Freshman Aly Klemmer singled to center field in the top of the first inning to allow junior Ashley Corriss to score the first run of the day for Marist (33-20). Manhattan (25-22) then tied it up in the bottom of the first with senior Jaci Rahey knocking a home run over the right field fence.
In the top of the third, Marist scored a pair of runs off a fielder's choice to bring in pinch runner Nicole Van Loan and a sacrifice fly to allow junior Nicole DiVirgilio to cross home plate to give the Red Foxes a 3-1 lead over the Jaspers.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Manhattan added another run when senior Nicole Michel sent an RBI single down the left field line to bring in senior Melissa Donnelly to make it a 3-2 game.
Klemmer closed out the Red Foxes' offensive effort in the seventh, scoring following a fielding error. Manhattan attempted to catch up in the bottom of the seventh, following another homer by Rahey, but fell short of the task.
Marist's Emily Osterhaus (15-8) earned the win, giving up eight hits while striking out four. Donnelly (4-5) threw for five innings for the Jaspers and gave up six hits.
Marist will play the winner of today's game between #1 Fairfield University and #4 Iona College in Game 3, which is slated for Friday, May 13, at 11:00 a.m. Manhattan will play the loser of today's second game tomorrow at approximately 1:00 p.m.