May 1, 2007
Box Score
Game One Box
Staten Island, NY - The Seahawks softball pitching staff limited visiting Columbia to five hits as they swept a non-league by scores of 2-0 and 5-0 at the Lower Athletic Field today. Wagner has now won 16 of their last 17 games and improved their overall mark to 28-16 this season. The Lions fell to 22-26 with the defeats.
Senior Morgan Miller's (Las Vegas, NV / Silverado) had a no-hitter through the first five innings of the opener until a leadoff pinch hit single in the sixth. Miller (12-7) completely dominated game one tossing a one hit shut out with four strikeouts. The shutout was her fifth of the year and came efficiently with 15 ground ball outs.
After a quite four innings from the Wagner hitters, the Seahawks put the game's only two runs on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore Jaclyn Vanore (Palisades Park, NJ / Paramus Catholic), started it off with a one out single up the middle and moved to third when freshman Kate Eshelman (Reno, NV / McQueen), line a sharp double off the pitcher's leg. Junior Katie Stevens (Reno, NV / Wooster) continued the middle of the field attack for the Seahawks with a single to center that scored Vanore. A failed suicide squeeze set up junior Victoria Batistelli (Huntington Beach, CA / Huntington Beach) who delivered a two out single to center that scored Stevens from second.
In game two it was freshman Danielle Wagoner's (Temecula, CA / Temecula Valley) turn as she picked up her second collegiate victory (against one loss) allowing three hits in five innings. Senior Christina Hopkins (Edison, NJ / Edison), who has not allowed an earned run in her last nine innings of relief, came on to close the door once again for the Seahawks. Hopkins gave up just one hit in her two innings of work to complete the doubleheader shutouts.
Wagner wasted little time scoring runs in the game as three Columbia errors help lead to a pair of first inning runs for the Seahawks. Vanore led off the frame with a bloop single to left and eventually came around to score when Stevens reached on an error. Eshelman, who also reached on an error, then scored the second run when Stevens stole second and the catcher's throw went into center field.
In the fourth the bases were loaded for Hopkins after a single (Batistelli), a double from grad student Joy Gallagher (Hazleton, PA / Hazleton) and a walk to sophomore Cindy Bagnoli (Old Tappen, NJ / Northern Valley Regional). Hopkins then drew a walk her self to force in a run and give Wagner a 3-0 lead.
Eshelman (15 games) and sophomore Andrea Lazzari (Reno, NV /Wooster) (16 games) extended their hitting streaks in the fifth inning as the Seahawks again loaded the bases. A fielder's choice groundout by junior Ami Iwicki (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central) would scored pinch runner Natalie Stephens (Jackson , NJ / Jackson). Gallagher followed with a RBI single through the left side that put the Seahawks up 5-0 before a 6-3 ground ball double play ended the inning.
Columbia mounted a rally in the sixth, loading the bases with no outs, but Hopkins, who came on after a leadoff single, invoked a 5-2-3 ground ball double play and then a pop out to second to preserve the shutout.
Wagner is back in action at home on Thursday when they host Manhattan in a 3:00 pm doubleheader.
Game 1 R H E
Columbia 0 1 3
Wagner 2 7 0
Game 2 R H E
Columbia 0 4 4
Wagner 5 7 0
