Lauren Rende's RBI single in the top of the eighth inning broke a 2-2 tie and lifted Manhattan to a 3-2 victory over Canisius in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference softball action Tuesday at the Demske Sports Complex in downtown Buffalo.
The Jaspers improved to 9-32 overall and 6-9 in conference action with the extra-innings victory while the Golden Griffins fell to 17-16 overall and 12-6 in league play.
The second game of the twinbill was halted in the top of the fifth inning due to inclement weather with Manhattan leading 5-2. The game will resume tomorrow afternoon.
The contest started out as a pitcher's duel between senior Megan Giese and Manhattan's Mollie Charset as Giese did not allow a hit through the first 12 batters she faced while Charset struck out eight of the first 15 Canisius batters to step to the plate.
Manhattan opened the scoring in the top of fifth, using a solo home run from Sophia Kiesloski and a sacrifice bunt from Bella Cahueque that plated Kaitlyn Flood to grab a 2-0 lead.
The Griffs answered right back in the home half of the fifth, tying the game with a run-scoring single from senior Christie McGee-Ross and a fielder's choice off the bat of junior Alyssa Cloutier.
The game remained at 2-2 until the top of the eighth inning, when Rende hit a one-out single to center field that scored Anissa Villalobos to give the Jaspers a 3-2 edge.
Manhattan reliever Alexandra Hess made the go-ahead run hold, retiring the Griffs in order in the bottom of the eighth to secure the one-run victory. In two innings of work, Hess issued just one walk as she picked up her first win of the season.
Sophia Kiseloski was 2-for-3 with a RBI to pace the Jaspers lineup. Rende, Anissa Villalobos and Gabriella Mazzotta recorded the other three Manhattan hits, all singles.
The reigning MAAC Pitcher of the Week, Giese got the start in the circle and pitched all eight innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out six batters. McGee-Ross went 2-for-3 with a RBI while Giese, Cloutier and sophomore Madysen Burkey accounted for the other three Canisius hits in the contest.
GAME NOTES
• Canisius dropped to 60-22 all-time against Manhattan with Tueday's setback.
• Giese was named MAAC Pitcher of the Week with her three wins and 20 strikeouts over the weekend against Siena.
• The Griffs dropped their first game at home this season ending an eight-game winning streak at the Demske Sports Complex.
• Sophomore Morgan Cook saw her hit streak come to an end at nine games.
• Junior Rosie Gomez's on-base streak ended at 14-straight games.
• Giese, the MAAC's leader in strikeouts with 152, has recorded 150-or-more strikeouts in three straight seasons.
UP NEXT
Canisius and Manhattan will resume game two of their doubleheader Wednesday at 2 p.m., before playing the final game of their series.
For complete coverage of Canisius softball, please follow @GriffsSoftball on Instagram and X.
