Sunday, March 22
Riverdale, NY
12:00 PM
Sacred Heart
9-17, 6-3
3
at
4
Manhattan
6-18, 2-4
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Sacred Heart
0
0
0
0
2
1
0
3
7
1
Manhattan
0
4
0
0
0
0
X
4
9
0
Photo by: Ella Radtke
Softball Falls in Sunday Finale at Manhattan
3/22/2026 5:41:00 PM | Softball
SHU still won the weekend series, 2-1
RIVERDALE, N.Y. – The Sacred Heart University softball team almost pulled off a late-inning comeback at Manhattan on Sunday afternoon, but the Jaspers held on to take a 4-3 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) win.
Team Records:
Sacred Heart (9-17, 6-3 MAAC)
Manhattan (6-18, 2-3 MAAC)
Manhattan 4, SHU 3
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) – (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 4 strikeouts, 7-7 record)
Karissa Spring (Manhattan) – (W, 5.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 1-4 record)
Natalye Debus (Manhattan) – (S, 2.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 1 save)
Top Performers:
Cierra Bender - 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 double
Sam Kowalski - 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 double
How It Happened:
The Jaspers took control of today's game in the second inning, storming ahead 4-0 in the frame. Manhattan scored four runs on five hits, two of which were doubles.
SHU's pitching bounced back from there, as the team traded scoreless half innings for the next two innings.
The Pioneer broke onto the scoreboard in the top of the fifth with a pair of runs to make it 4-2. A walk, a single and a double from Sam Kowalski plated SHU's first run of the afternoon. An Olivia Bibbo walk with two outs loaded the bases before Alexa Barbera walked to bring another run in.
Following another scoreless inning from Kowalski, Cierra Bender brought the Pios within one at 4-3. With Jess Brown on second and two out, Bender slammed a double to left center field to plate her classmate.
Unfortunately for the Pios, SHU could not tie the game in the seventh as the Jaspers collected their second conference game of the season.
Outside of the second inning, Kowalski had a stellar day. The senior threw all 6.0 innings for SHU, finishing with four strikeouts.
Notes:
Up Next:
SHU welcomes Yale for a nonconference doubleheader on Wednesday, March 25, with the opening game slated to start at 2 p.m.
Team Records:
Sacred Heart (9-17, 6-3 MAAC)
Manhattan (6-18, 2-3 MAAC)
Manhattan 4, SHU 3
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) – (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 4 strikeouts, 7-7 record)
Karissa Spring (Manhattan) – (W, 5.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 1-4 record)
Natalye Debus (Manhattan) – (S, 2.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 1 save)
Top Performers:
Cierra Bender - 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 double
Sam Kowalski - 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 double
How It Happened:
The Jaspers took control of today's game in the second inning, storming ahead 4-0 in the frame. Manhattan scored four runs on five hits, two of which were doubles.
SHU's pitching bounced back from there, as the team traded scoreless half innings for the next two innings.
The Pioneer broke onto the scoreboard in the top of the fifth with a pair of runs to make it 4-2. A walk, a single and a double from Sam Kowalski plated SHU's first run of the afternoon. An Olivia Bibbo walk with two outs loaded the bases before Alexa Barbera walked to bring another run in.
Following another scoreless inning from Kowalski, Cierra Bender brought the Pios within one at 4-3. With Jess Brown on second and two out, Bender slammed a double to left center field to plate her classmate.
Unfortunately for the Pios, SHU could not tie the game in the seventh as the Jaspers collected their second conference game of the season.
Outside of the second inning, Kowalski had a stellar day. The senior threw all 6.0 innings for SHU, finishing with four strikeouts.
Notes:
- SHU has won its first three MAAC series of the season.
- Kowalski lost her first conference game of the year, as she is now 6-1 against league foes.
- Kowalski leads the team with a .364 (24-for-66).
- Kowalski had four hits this weekend.
- Bender hit her 10th double of the season.
Up Next:
SHU welcomes Yale for a nonconference doubleheader on Wednesday, March 25, with the opening game slated to start at 2 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Karissa Spring (1-4)
L: Kowalski, Sam (7-7)
S: Natalye DeBus (1)
Batting:
2B: Bender, Cierra 1 ; Kowalski, Sam 1
RBI: Bender, Cierra 1 ; Kowalski, Sam 1 ; Barbera, Alexa 1
SH: Barbera, Alexa 1 ; Brown, Jess 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Leckrone, Elle 1 ; Bender, Cierra 1 ; Brown, Jess 1
SB: Brown, Jess 1
HBP: Burras, Katherine 1
Batting:
2B: Brianna Estevez 1 ; Samantha Kelly 1
RBI: Brianna Estevez 3 ; Samantha Kelly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brianna Estevez 1 ; Victoria Diaz 1 ; Karissa Spring 1 ; Isabella Coulman 1
SB: Kendall Penny 1
CS: Isabella Coulman 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballP/INF
/ SoftballSaige Harper Paris 2024
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