Gabriel's 2-Hit Gem Forces Championship Game Re-match On Sunday
MAAC Sports
FAIRFIELD, Conn – Freshman righthander Danielle Gabriel twirled a two-hitter as No. 6 seed Manhattan College won its third straight game on Saturday, defeating No. 3 seed Iona College 1-0 to force a rematch of the two teams in the final round of the 2014 MAAC Softball Championship at Fairfield University’s Alumni Stadium.
Iona (23-22) and Manhattan (26-28) will meet again for one game on Sunday (May 11) at 11:00 a.m. with the victor taking the MAAC Championship and the automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Softball Championship.
It was the Gaels’ first loss in the MAAC Championship after three consecutive wins.
Catcher Elena Bowman staked the Jaspers to the first inning, 1-0 lead when she powered a Jordan Courage 2-1 pitch over the right center field fence, and that run stood up throughout the game.
Gabriel, who raised her record to 4-5, retired the last 17 batters she faced. Iona’s Eileen McCann reached her for a double in the first but was left stranded, and Katie Jansson singled in the second but the Gaels could not advance her.
Gabriel had three strikeouts, and didn’t allow a walk. Of the 60 pitches she threw, 48 were strikes.
Iona’s pitcher Courage was nearly as good. Courage scattered five hits with one strikeout, and didn’t allow a walk. She threw 86 pitches, including 58 strikes.
Manhattan was able to mount a threat in the fifth when Emily Cutler and Kate Bowen had consecutive singles and advanced to second and third, but Courage got out of the jam when she induced a foul pop up caught by Kristen Turner.