HACKENSACK, N.J. – FDU softball picked up a non-conference mid-week victory over Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon. The Knights emerged victorious by a score of 9-7.

FDU started off in a hole after a red-hot first inning by the Jaspers. Manhattan took FDU starter Katie Simonka deep on two separate occasions in the first inning, jumping out to a quick 4-0 lead. FDU responded in the bottom half of the first, as Ayden Stone hit a two-run home run to cut into the Manhattan lead. After the first inning jitters, Simonka settled down, pitching into the fourth without allowing another run. The Knights would slowly shorten the Manhattan lead over the early innings, and trailed 5-3 heading into the fifth. Amanda Jupinka would record an RBI groundout in the fifth to make things a 5-4 ballgame, and was followed by Kailee O'Sullivan, who hit an RBI double to left field to tie the game at five. During the Knights' fifth inning rally, starting center fielder Madison Rishel suffered an injury while running the bases, and was forced to come out of the game. Freshman Sofia Spatocco took Rishel's place in the lineup. In the sixth inning, Spatocco found herself up at the plate with the bases loaded and nobody out. The rookie came through in a big way for the Knights, recording her first career collegiate hit on a double down the right field line. Spatocco's extra-base hit cleared the bases, giving the Knights an 8-5 lead. Amanda Jupinka would tack on an insurance run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Manhattan put up a fight in the seventh inning, hitting a two-run homer off MaryJane Limon to make the score 9-7 in favor of the Knights. After a double by Angelina Gencarelli, the Jaspers sent the tying run up to the plate with two outs in the form of Brianna Estevez. Estevez reached safely on an infield single, but Gencarelli tried to catch the Knights defense sleeping and advance to third on the single. Ayden Stone fired the ball to third base, where Sophia Ayala applied the tag and recorded the final out, giving FDU a nail-biting 9-7 win.
 

WHAT'S NEXT

FDU returns on Wednesday afternoon when they host Army for a mid-week doubleheader. First pitch will be at 1 p.m. with coverage on NEC Front Row. Read Full Article