NP Hawks Open Up Tourney With Two Wins

By Monica D’Ippolito

SALISBURY, MD – The State University of New York at New Paltz opened up the first day of the Margie Knight Tournament hosted by Salisbury University with two wins over Manhattanville, 2-0 and Muhlenberg, 7-5 (8 innings).

Sydney Waldon pitched the first game against the Valiants and had her best outing of the young season, as the junior threw a complete game while giving up just one hit, five walks and registered a career-high 10 strikeouts.

After earning a flyout and walking the second batter to start the game, Waldon struck out six-straight to keep the game at zeros entering the bottom of the third where her team backed her up with some offense. Rhionna Bianchini got things started with a lead-off single to right. Lauren Serrao and Jackie Rometo earned back-to-back walks to load the bases. Manhattanville limited the damage by forcing a double-play groundout by Kelsey O’Brien, but Serrao still got herself home on a wild pitch to give SUNY New Paltz a 1-0 lead.

The Valiants only hit of the game was a bunt single in the fifth, which they followed with a walk. A flyout pushed runners into scoring position, but Waldon got out the inning with a flyout to keep the shutout. A pair of walks in the sixth gave Manhattanville the opportunity to tie, but again, Waldon stayed steady and limited the threat, ending the inning on a flyout.

A two-out rally helped another run across for SUNY New Paltz. Jaycee Filancia kept the Hawks bottom sixth alive with a single to right before Kelly Marmorowski smashed her sixth double of the season for an RBI extra base hit after plating Filancia to give Waldon some breathing room.

The Maplewood, NJ native didn’t need the extra offense though, as she closed out the game like how she started — sitting down batters. She got the Valiants first two swinging for outs before a pop out to Serrao at second sealed the 2-0 win.

Waldon improved to 3-1 with the win. Marmorowski and Filancia provided most of the offense, as the two combined to go 2-for-5 with a run, an RBI and a walk.

SUNY New Paltz won game two against Muhlenberg in extra innings.