#2 Farmingdale State - 3, #1 Manhattanville - 2 (F/8)
PURCHASE, N.Y. | The Farmingdale State softball team has advanced to Championship day after defeating top-seeded Manhattanville, 3-2, on a walk-off double from senior center fielder Priscilla Rivera (Brentwood, N.Y.) on Friday. The Rams snapped the Valiants 31-game winning streak in today's winner's bracket contest and will play for the Skyline Conference Championship on Saturday.
Manhattanville will face an elimination game later today against the winning side of a contest between #3 St. Joseph's-Brooklyn and #4 Mount Saint Mary.
Farmingdale State jumped in front 2-0 in the first inning after junior right fielder Jenna Giliberti (Bellmore, N.Y.) led off with a single and scored on a throwing error in the next at-bat. With runners on second and third later in the inning, a wild pitch allowed Rivera to score and give FSC the 2-0 advantage.
The game remained 2-0 until the top of the sixth, when Valiants catcher Amaya Esparza hit a two-run home run to tie the score.
Manhattanville threatened in the top of the seventh after a leadoff single and sacrifice bunt, but Rams' sophomore pitcher Ava Shorr (North Babylon, N.Y.) forced a pop out and ground out to keep the game 2-2.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Giliberti was up with one out and an 0-2 count but battled out an eight-pitch walk. Rivera stepped up to the plate next and knocked a double just inside the left field line to score Giliberti and clinch the walk-off 3-2 win for FSC.
Shorr improved to 13-5 on the season as she tossed a complete game, allowing just five hits.
Valiants' senior Charli Shinstine (L, 20-1) suffered her first loss of the season, allowing four hits and two earned runs.
Giliberti recorded a hit, a walk and two runs scored, while Rivera had the double with an RBI and one run scored. Senior first baseman Brooke Walker (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) and freshman third baseman Christina Rodriguez (Vineland, N.J.) added singles in the victory.
The Rams now await their opponent on Championship day of the double-elimination tournament. Farmingdale State will need one victory to clinch the title, while the opposition will need to beat FSC twice. Saturday's first game is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. from Purchase, N.Y.
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