Box Score

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Manhattan right-hander Erika Sullivan, who held Army to four base hits, escaped with runners in scoring position four times as the Jaspers outlasted Army 1-0 in the Black Knights' first game Thursday in opening their third day of competition at the Rebel Spring Games.

Manhattan capitalized on a walk and an RBI double by Ashley Ramping with two outs to score the lone run of the game in the top of the third inning. Sophomore pitcher Beverly Nordin (2-2) stranded the insurance run in holding the Jaspers to a 1-0 lead after getting the next batter on a foul ball flyout to the right fielder.

A double play nixed a scoring opportunity for the Jaspers in the fourth inning as Nordin retired 10 of the next 12 batters she faced. She stranded a runner at first retiring the side on a strikeout looking and flyout to center field after being touched for a leadoff hit in the bottom of the sixth retiring. The sophomore hurler retired the first two batters in the seventh before yielding her sixth hit of the game, but the threat ended when the runner was caught trying to steal second in the lone attempt of the game.

Army, suffering its second loss in Florida to slip to 3-2 and 6-5 overall, threatened with runners in scoring position  in four innings but came up short.. Senior co-captain Jennae Tomlinson led off the home half of the first inning with a double to right center field, but was stranded following back-to-back flyouts and a groundout.

Alexis AuBuchon ripped a one-out double, her team-leading fourth of the season, in the second inning  with Angela Deger reaching on a fielding error  by the shortstop,  but came up short when  Sullivan got out safely on back-to-back strikeouts.

Army threatened in the fifth inning when pinch hitter Natalia Gruenbaum beat out a bunt to lead off the frame and was sacrificed to second, but was stranded following a strikeout and groundout. Sullivan nipped the Black Knights' final rally with one out in the seventh.  After yielding a single to Deger followed by a sacrifice bunt, Sullivan preserved the shutout by ending the game on an infield popup.

The Black Knights will look to rebound against Wisconsin-Green Bay in the second game of the day.