NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Manhattan Jaspers softball team (14-28, 9-11 MAAC), highlighted by a 10-run third inning, won its series finale against the Warriors from Merrimack (8-26, 6-15 MAAC), by the final score of 19-6 in five innings at Martone-Mejail Field on Sunday morning.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Offense wasted no time being displayed in the final bout, as the two sides combined for five runs in the first inning, four of which coming in favor of the Warriors.
- Brianna Estevez hit an RBI single to bring the deficit back to two, scoring Angelina Gencarelli.
- On the next at-bat, Samantha Kelly cleared the then-loaded bases with a deep double to the left center gap, scoring Estevez along with Isabella Coulman and Sophia Kiseloski to take the lead back at 5-4.
- Following a pitching change, Natalye DeBus cleared the bases again, this time via a home run past the left field fence, upping the margin to 7-4 through two.
- The breakthrough inning came in the third, as two wild pitches scored Kendall Penny and Sophia Hannappel.
- Estevez secured another RBI single to score Coulman once more, and Estevez then came home on the next batter after Kelly reached on an error, allowing the sophomore enough time to score from second base.
- Gencarelli, as the 10th batter of the frame, recorded a sacrifice fly for the first out of the inning, scoring DeBus to bring the lead all the way up to nine.
- After another RBI single from Hannappel, Estevez then took the throne of bases-clearing doubles, putting the lead to 13 after a four hit inning that resulted in 10 runs.
- Contrary to the rest of the contest, the fourth inning saw no runs for either squad.
- Estevez and Kelly took turns with a pair of RBI hits in the fifth, combining for their 10th RBI of the morning.
- Despite allowing an RBI double in the home half, the Jaspers came away with a 13-run victory, their largest of the season.
STATS AND NOTES
- Sophomore utility player Brianna Estevez, Freshman shortstop Samantha Kelly, and Freshman utility player Natalye DeBus combined for 13 of Manhattan's eventual 16 runs.
- Estevez led the way with six RBI and five hits, both new career-highs.
- Freshman infielder Lainey Brown joined Estevez and Kelly as the only other Jaspers with a multi-hit performance Sunday.
- Freshman pitcher Abby Turnpaugh earned her first win of the season following a complete five inning sof work that resulted in six earned runs off nine hits.
NEXT UP:
Manhattan will continue its 2026 campaign on Tuesday, April 21, when they welcome the Stags from Fairfield to Riverdale. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 PM from Gaelic Park and will be streamed live on the Jasper Sports Network.
Follow Manhattan Softball on X (@JaspersSoftball) and Instagram (@jasperssoftball).
