The Canisius College softball team split a MAAC doubleheader with visiting Manhattan Sunday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex. The Golden Griffins (14-12, 3-1 MAAC) took the first game by a score of 8-0 in six innings before the Lady Jaspers (13-17, 2-2 MAAC) rebounded for a come-from-behind 5-3 victory in the nightcap. The loss in game two ended Canisius' three-game winning streak and also snapped the Griffs' 11-game MAAC regular-season home win streak, which dated back to April 26, 2009.

Canisius cruised to an 8-0 win in the first game where the Blue and Gold racked up 11 hits and sophomore pitcher Amanda Baun earned her seventh win of the season after she allowed just three hits while fanning seven in five innings of work. Senior Paige Freiberger went 2-for-2 with a homer, a double, two runs scored and two RBI in the win, while fellow senior Emily Helbig added two hits and a run batted in. Junior Lizzy Gatto was good for two hits in the victory as well and knocked in a run, while Lauryn Chris also added two hits, including a double and an RBI.

Freiberger's leadoff home run to right center led off the second inning, and the Griffs added three runs in the home half of the third to help the home team take a 4-0 lead. Gatto's RBI-double down the left field line pushed senior Lauren Hope across the plate for Canisius' second run, and Freibeger and Helbig followed with RBI hits of their own off Manhattan starter Erica Sullivan, who took the loss in the circle for the Lady Jaspers.

Chris' RBI with one out in the fourth forced the Canisius lead to 5-0 after four innings, and freshman Valorie Nappo knocked in two runs with a base hit back up the middle to make the score 7-0. In the sixth, Canisius enacted the NCAA softball mercy rule for the third-straight game when Hope, who led off the inning with a single to right, stole second base and advanced to third on a groundout, scored on a wild pitch.

Baun was credited with the win for Canisius. Junior Caroline Main came on in relief and got two groundouts and a strikeout. Manhattan's Kristina Walraven had two hits, including a double, for the Lady Jaspers in the game one loss.

In the second game, Manhattan took an early 1-0 lead in the second, but the Griffs answered with two runs in the fourth on a home run down the left field line by junior Katie Lancellotti. Manhattan tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth when Nicole Michel ripped a two-out single to the gap in right center that allowed Walraven to score from second base. Canisius regained the lead at 3-2 with a single run in the fifth when Hope took advantage of Manhattan's defense and stole home. With two outs and runners at first and second, Manhattan pitcher Ashley Rampino threw one in the dirt that got away from catcher Carla Velasquez. Hope, who was at second base, raced to third, and as Velasquez tossed the ball back to Rampino, the school's all-time stolen base leader raced home and slide across the plate, beating the tag, to put the Griffs back in the lead.

Manhattan would get the last laugh however, as the Lady Jaspers scored three runs in the top of the seventh to secure a 5-3 win. After Canisius brought Baun on in relief of Main, Walraven led off the top of the seventh with a ground-rule double, and her hit was followed by a single to shallow left by Melissa Donnelly. With runners at first and second and no one out, senior Jacki Rahey put Manhattan ahead for good with a three-run homer to straight-away center.

Baun took the loss after she allowed three runs on three hits while striking out one batter. Freshman Jen Consaul started the game for Canisius and allowed one run on four hits in four innings before she was lifted for Main. Main threw two innings and allowed one run on one hit while fanning four and walking three.

Lancellotti and Helbig each had two hits in the losing effort for Canisius, which racked up eight hits off Rampino, who earned her fourth with of the season in the circle after she gave up three runs on eight hits while walking tow and striking out two.

Canisius will wrap up its six-game homestand Tuesday, April 12, when the team hosts St. Bonaventure for a non-league doubleheader. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

Game Notes: Canisius is now 47-8 all-time against Manhattan... The win for Manhattan marks the first time the Lady Jaspers have defeated Canisius at the Demske Sports Complex since April 1, 1995... Hope had a total of three stolen bases on Sunday to give her 110 in her career... She has a stolen base in four-straight games and in five of the team's last six outings... Hope also extended her current hitting streak to seven games in a row with hits in both games, as did Lancellotti... Lancellotti's two-run home run in game two was her second of the season and the 14th in her career, which ties her with four other former Griffs for second all-time on the school's all-time home run list... Frieberger's solo shot in the first game was also her second of the year and the 13th in her career, which ties her for seventh all-time in school history... Gatto has now reached base safely in eight-straight games... Chris had a hit in each of the games this weekend and has a six-game hitting streak of her own, which is the longest of her career.