Congers, Stony Point Athletes Thrive at College

Jaspers, Rams trust in the sun

The Manhattan College softball team opens a five-day, 10-game road trip in Kissimmee, FL, today following two postponed games against Quinnipiac University of Hamden, CT.

The Jaspers went 25-23 a year ago, but were very tough to beat at home, going 13-3, helped by junior infielder Amanda Babcock of Haverstraw.

Babcock, a graduate of North Rockland High, was a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) all-Academic team last season. She started 18 games a shortstop and eight games at second base, tying for fourth on the team in doubles with six.

On the Florida trip, Manhattan will meet Lehigh, Penn, Holy Cross, Howard, Utah Valley, Youngstown State, Yale, Green Bay, Nebraska-Omaha and Cleveland State.

Fordham University, whose season began in September, is 4-10 going into games today in Clearwater, FL, against Kennesaw State and Green Bay.

The Rams are in the midst of a 12-game Florida trip, before moving north to Harrisonburg, VA, for another five games, and then returning to the Bronx to meet St. John’s on March 20.

The Rams are infused with new talent on the mound in the person of Taylor Pirone of New Rochelle.

The freshman was a three-time all-state choice at The Ursuline School, where she currently is the all-time record-holder in wins, strikeouts, shutouts, no-hitters, perfect games, home runs, RBI and ERA. Pirone also captained the Jersey Inferno Gold club team.

Fordham also features junior outfielder Jessica Crowley of Suffern, and sophomore utility player Brianna Ciuffi of Carmel, who last season was used primarily as a pinch-runner.

Crowley made 31 starts in 47 games in 2011 after seizing control of centerfield midway through the season, and made a pair of game-saving catches in the NCAA Regional against Penn State.

Crowley had 78 at-bats last year, with two homers and six RBI for the Rams, who went 41-19.

Rough road for Jaspers

The Manhattan College women’s lacrosse team, which dropped to 2-4 after an 11-5 loss to Central Connecticut State University in Stamford, CT, continues a four-game road swing on Wednesday against St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia at 4 p.m.

The Jaspers were limited to just two goals in the first half as the Blue Devils scored the first six goals of the contest.

Trailing 6-0, senior attacker Chrissy Gutenberger of Stony Point broke the drought for Manhattan before Domenica O’Brey of Loudonville scored on a free position shot eight minutes later to cut the deficit to 6-2.

The Blue Devils added a goal before the break to lead 7-2.

With CCSU (2-2) leading 11-3, Gutenberger scored the final two goals of the game in the final three minutes including a free position goal with 1:41 remaining.

The senior, an alumna of North Rockland HS, was the high scorer for the Jaspers with her three goals while O’Brey found the back of the net twice.

Both Kelsey Rehain of Suffern and BrieAnna Spatarella of Rocky Point earned assists for Manhattan. As a squad, the Jaspers where outshot by the Blue Devils 23-16 while forcing 22 turnovers and coughing it up 24 times.

Attacker Mackenzy Ryan, a Mahopac High graduate, had two goals for the Blue Devils, and Caitline Kamer, another Mahopac alumna, helped control the midfield.

Pirates salvage split in Las Vegas

Sophomore Jen Metzger of Pine Hill, NJ, fired her second straight complete game Pine Hill, NJ, to lift the Seton Hall University softball team to a 5-0 victory over UNLV to wrap up the Eller Media Stadium Classic in Las Vegas, NV.

The Pirates (6-8) fell to New Mexico State, 8-0, in six innings in the first game of the day.

Danielle DeStaso of Congers took the loss in the opener, allowing four earned runs, as Seton Hall was held to one hit, by sophomore Maria DeLuca of Cedar Grove, NJ.

The Pirates hope to get on track during a six-game road swing to Baltimore, MD, beginning with doubleheaders this weekend in the UMBC Dawg Pound Classic.

On Saturday, Seton Hall challenges Niagara at 8:45 a.m., and then meets Coppin State at 1:30 p.m. Sunday’s twin-bill features games against Siena at 11:25 a.m., and host UMBC at 3:35 p.m.

Mortarboard musings

• The St. Thomas Aquinas College baseball team is in Lake Worth, FL, today to meet Felician (NJ) College, and then meets Bloomfield (NJ) College on Saturday as it continues a southern road trip. The Spartans are slated to play at Provident Bank Park in Pomona on March 17 in a noon-time twin-bills against Southern New Hampshire. The teams meet again on March 18 for two games beginning at 3 p.m.

• Sophomore defenseman Andrew Moscardelli of Pearl River was not in the lineup but Wentworth Institute of Technology pulled out a 3-1 victory over Plymouth State University in the first round of the 2012  NCAA Division III Hockey Tournament at a sold-out Hanaway Rink in Plymouth, NH. Wentworth (21-6-1) extended its win streak to a school-record 11 games and advances to the NCAA quarterfinal round on Saturday against Norwich University at Kreitzberg Arena (7 p.m.). Norwich (23-2-2) showcases 11—count ‘em, 11-- international players.

• Senior Dan Fiorito of Yonkers, a Fordham Prep grad, had five RBI as the Manhattanville College baseball team routed Pace University, 24-12, in Pleasantville. The 24 runs are tied for fourth-most scored in a game in program history, behind only a pair of 25-run wins and the program-record 27 runs scored in 2004. Junior outfielder John Bucci of Port Chester had three RBI, while sophomore Elias Tsouristakis of New Rochelle had one. Freshman Tom Kilkenny of Pearl River scored one run as a designated hitter. The Valiants (4-1) return to action on March 15 with their home opener against local rival Purchase College at 3:30 p.m.

• The Southern New Hampshire University baseball team picked up its second straight victory over a nationally ranked opponent, outdueling ninth-ranked Lynn University 3-2 at the McCusker Sportsplex in Boca Raton, FL. Lucas Olen of Bedford, a freshman, pitched 2/3 of an inning in relief, while James McGowan of Mahopac took the collar in four at-bats. Left-hander Frank Fatino of Nanuet and Greg Pezzuto of Hastings also play for the Penmen, whose southern swing continues today in Lantana, FL, with a twin-bill against Bloomfield at the Santaluces Complex.  The Penmen, off to the program’s best start at 11-0, meet Concordia for two games on Sunday, and a single game on Monday.

• Monroe College’s two outstanding basketball teams are each one game away from making their National Tournaments and both of those games will be played Saturday on their home court at the Monroe Athletic Complex (MAC) in New Rochelle. The defending NJCAA Division II women’s national champion Mustangs take to the court at 5 p.m. for a District-N semifinal against a solid Union County College team, and at 7 p.m. the men’s team will face Hagerstown CC in the District III final.  The winners of both games earn a trip to their respective NJCAA National Tournaments. NJCAA National Tournaments.

• The Rutgers University women’s lacrosse team dropped to 1-3 on the season following a 15-7 loss to No. 9 Penn at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. Senior midfielder Ali Steinberg of Suffern, who leads the Scarlet Knights with 11 points, was held without a goal or an assist. Rutgers finishes a three-game road swing on Saturday at Hofstra at 12 noon.