Box Score Ithaca, NY:  The #3 Manhattanville College softball team defeated #2 Ramapo College 3-1 in the opening round of the 2018 NCAA Ithaca Regional at Kostrinsky Field hosted by Ithaca College. The Valiants improve to 25-14 overall while the Roadrunners now stand at 25-14 overall.
 
The Valiants advance to the 11am game on Saturday morning and will face the winner of #1 Ithaca and #4 Bay Path College. The Roadrunners move onto an elimination game on Saturday afternoon scheduled for 1:30pm against the loser of the Ithaca/Bay Path game.
 
Three runs in the second inning are all that Manhattanville would need to defeat Ramapo in the opening game of the NCAA Regional. The Valiants got on the board when Aarin Hartenstein singled and was able to score when Sam Jedrey laced a double to right field for the 1-0 score. Following the first out of the inning Jedrey crossed home plate on an infield single 2-0 when a throw home was misplayed allowing Jedrey to be safe. The Valiants third run scored when Isela Casillas poked a single through the infield and Sophia Chapelone crossed home plate to make it 3-0.
 
The Roadrunners got on the board in the bottom of the third inning when Jackie Howarth laced a single up the middle which allowed Sisi Machinski to score from second base, 3-1. Machinski beat out an infield single to shortstop earlier in the inning. The Valiants got out of a jam with runners on second and third when starting pitcher Alycia Feeny got a strike out looking to end the inning and keep the two-run lead.
 
Ramapo didn't go away quietly in the bottom of the seventh when they loaded the bases with just one out. Following a pop fly to shallow right field for the second out, Manhattanville center fielder Casillas made a game-saving diving catch at the warning track on a ball hit to the left-center field gap off the bat of Shannon Cox on the first pitch she saw to end the game.
 
Manhattanville starting pitcher Alycia Feeney (15-6) struck out five, walked one and scattered seven hits.
 
Ramapo starting pitcher Christina Brizek (9-4) struck out six, walked three and scattered six hits in the game. Howarth led the team with a 3-4 day at the plate with one RBI while Machinski was 2-3 with one run scored.