Ithaca, NY:  The #3 Manhattanville College Valiants defeated the #2 Ramapo College softball team 3-2 in a marathon 11-inning game today at the NCAA Ithaca Regional. The Roadrunners wrap up the season 26-15 while the Valiants (26-15) move onto the championship game needing to win two games to claim the regional championship over #1 Ithaca College.
 
Manhattanville got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when Dolores Diemcke poked a two-out single into left field allowing Isela Casillas to score from second base. Casillas led off the inning with a single back up the middle before she was sacrificed to second. The Valiants tacked on their second run of the game in the third inning. Desiree Buboi laced a double to right field plating Alexis Ventarola with an unearned run. Ventarola reached on an error with two outs to extend the inning.
 
In the top of the fourth inning the Roadrunners came back to tie the game at two. With one out Shannon Cox and Christina Brizek recorded back-to-back singles before an infield error allowed Krista Verrino to reach base to load the bases. Following the second out of the inning, Nicole Hernandez ripped a single back up the middle plating Cox and Brizek for the game-tying runs.
 
In the bottom half of the fourth, Sam Jedrey led off with a single for the Valiants down the left field line before Ramapo starting pitcher Katrina Buczkowski induced two pop outs and a strikeout swinging to end the inning.
 
A one out walk in the bottom of the seventh for the Valiants put the winning run on base before Buczkowski ended the threat with an infield pop fly and a ground out for the final out of the inning to send the game into the eighth inning.
 
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Manhattanville's Jedrey led off with a walk before being lifted for pinch runner Melina Strano. Following the first out of the inning Jordyn Boyd worked a walk to put runners on first and second. Ramapo relief pitcher Erin Fitzsimmons, who entered the game in the eighth inning, induced two ground outs to end the threat.
 
In the bottom of the 11th, Dolores Diemicke reached on an error before moving to second on a pass ball and was sacrificed to third on a bunt before a sac fly from Aarin Hartenstein plated the game-winning run for the 3-2 walk-off win.
 
The Valiants only recorded five hits in the 11-inning game while they left seven runners on base. Starting pitcher Hartenstein improved to 10-7 overall. She struck out three, walked none and surrendered nine Ramapo hits.  
 
Ramapo starting pitcher Buczkowski worked the first seven innings of the game earning the no-decision. She struck out three, walked one and scattered five hits. Fitzsimmons worked the final 3.2 innings of the game, striking out one, walking two while she did not give up a hit.