Manhattan Defeats Marist To Advance In Championship
MAAC Sports
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Jenn Vazquez continued her heroics for Manhattan College when she singled in Kate Bowen with the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning as the No. 6 seed Jaspers eliminated top-seeded Marist College 1-0 on Saturday in the 2014 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Softball Championship at Fairfield University’s Alumni Stadium.
The victory moved Manhattan, now 25-28, into the championship round, where it will face third-seeded Iona at 3:40 p.m. Marist ends its season at 27-24.
Vazquez was one of the Jaspers’ heroes in their first game on Saturday, when she hit a solo homer over the right center field wall in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score with Siena at 4-4. Siena had taken a 4-3 lead in the top half of the first extra frame.
Kate Bowen led off the bottom of the sixth with a single to center. Elena Bowman followed with a single to right, and both runners advanced a base on the throw. Following an infield ground, Vazquez lifted a base hit centerfield to score Bowen with the only run the Jaspers would need.
Marist had a last chance in the top of the seventh, but the Red Foxes only reached Manhattan pitcher Amy Bright for a two-out single. Alyssa Zahka’s fly out to left ended the game for the Red Foxes.
Bright won the battle of the pitcher’s duel, besting Marist’s Melanie White. Both were outstanding on the afternoon. Bright raised her record to 10-15 by scattering four hits and striking out eight. She struck out the side in the fourth and retired the Red Foxes in order in the sixth.
The Red Foxes were able to load the bases in the first, second and fifth, and put two runners on in the third inning, but were not able to push any runs in.
White was just as effective in the circle, throwing six innings, scattering four hits and striking out nine. She struck out the side in the second and third innings, and struck out eight of the first nine batters she faced.
Elena Bowman had two hits for the Jaspers, while Bowen and Vazquez each contributed a base hit.
Taylor Kuzma had three hits and Janna Korak had the other safety for the Red Foxes.