Game 1: #1 Farmingdale State - 2, #2 Manhattanville - 0
Game 2: #1 Farmingdale State - 3, #2 Manhattanville - 1
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State softball team won both games against Manhattanville on Sunday to capture the 2021 Skyline Conference Championship. The Rams entered today with one loss in the double-elimination tournament and earned 2-0 and 3-1 victories over the Valiants. The Rams advance to the NCAA Regionals which begin next week.
With two outs in the top of the second in game one, FSC (19-5) sophomore right fielder Julianna Prescia (Oakdale, N.Y.) hit a single and quickly stole second base. Prescia moved to third on a wild pitch during the next at-bat but Valiants' (20-5) freshman Kylie Pester (Spokane, Wash.) (L, 7-1, 7.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 4 SO) recorded a strikeout to keep the Rams off the board.
In the third, Farmingdale State sophomore catcher Lyndsey Shaw (Sayville, N.Y.) tallied her second solo home run of the tournament as the Rams went ahead, 1-0.
The game remained 1-0 until the top of the sixth when sophomore shortstop Jessica Clark (Selden, N.Y.) led off with a single, moved to second on an error and scored on an RBI single from senior first baseman Jessica Lombardo (Levittown, N.Y.).
Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh, the Valiants used a leadoff walk and a single to put runners on first and second with no outs. FSC sophomore pitcher Allie Stanya (Babylon, N.Y.) (W, 12-2, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 8 SO) would record a foul out and two strikeouts to clinch the complete game victory, 2-0, and force a deciding second game.
Lombardo was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Shaw was 1-for-4 with a solo home run.
In the second game, Manhattanville put runners on first and third in the first with one out before Stanya (W, 13-2, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 SO) forced a double play to get out of the inning.
Shaw led off the bottom of the first with a double to left center. Later in the inning with two outs, freshman third baseman Brooke Walker (Westhampton, N.Y.) hit an RBI single up the middle to put Farmingdale State on top, 1-0.
The Valiants quickly evened the score at 1-1 in the second after senior third baseman Jaclyn DeLuca (Yonkers, N.Y.) reached on an error and scored on a single from junior left fielder Julia Bucci (Rye Brook, N.Y.). Manhattanville had the bases loaded with one out and Stanya forced another double play to escape the jam.
In the bottom of the third, Walker recorded an RBI fielder's choice which sent sophomore center fielder Priscilla Rivera (Brentwood, N.Y.) around to score. Two batters later, freshman left fielder Angelina Capuano (Sayville, N.Y.) hit a two-out single to drive in Walker and give the Rams a 3-1 lead.
Sophomore right fielder Sarah Harker (Irvine, Calif.) led off the top of the sixth with a walk. After back-to-back flyouts to center, sophomore designated player Abby Tanuma (Chula Vista, Calif.) singled to put runners on first and second with two outs. Stanya forced a fly out to keep Farmingdale State ahead, 3-1.
Stanya pitched a perfect seventh inning to seal the 3-1 victory for the Rams.
Shaw led the way for FSC with a pair of doubles, while Lombardo was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double. Walker finished the game 1-for-3 with a run scored and 2 RBI.
Stanya, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Championship, was 3-1 with a 0.52 ERA and 21 strikeouts in her four starts on the mound.
The NCAA Selection Show will take place on Monday, May 17th at 1:00 p.m. on NCAA.com
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