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PITTSFORD, N.Y. – During a game marked by six home runs, second-seeded William Paterson (28-12) dropped a 5-4 decision to third-seeded Manhattanville (31-13) May 12 in the first round of the NCAA Softball Tournament Rochester Regional.
 
WP will square off against the loser of the first-round game between top-seeded and eighth-ranked St. John Fisher (36-6) and fourth-seeded Penn State Behrend (26-12) on Saturday, May 13, at 1:30 p.m. in an elimination game. The winner of that contest will play again at 4:00 p.m. to decide which team advances to Sunday's Regional championship series.
 
The Valiants came out swinging, hitting the second pitch of the game over the fence, then drawing a walk and belting a two-run homer to right-center field for a 3-0 edge during the top of the first inning.
 
The Pioneers got one run back in the home half of the second when junior left fielder Kara Molnar (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) smacked a pitch off the base of the fence in right for a leadoff triple, and three batters later junior second baseman Kaitlyn Poretti (Florence, N.J./Florence Memorial) dropped an RBI-single into right.
 
WP leveled the score in the fourth when Molnar and senior first baseman Salina Pellios (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) hit back-to-back solo home runs, the first to right and the second to center field.
 
Manhattanville edged back ahead in the sixth with a leadoff hit by pitch and a two-out double that landed a foot inside the left-field line, making it a 4-3 score.
 
The Pioneers had the tying run at third base after a double by senior shortstop Rachel Wasilak (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) and a groundout during the bottom of the sixth inning, but another ground ball ended the frame.
 
The Valiants tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh thanks to their third home run of the day, making it a 5-3 margin.
 
Sophomore third baseman Christine Griffith (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional) opened the bottom of the seventh with a homer to center, and after a groundout and strikeout, freshman pinch hitter Alex Lee (Newark, N.J./Benedictine Academy) drew a base on balls to keep WP's hopes alive. Junior center fielder Eleni Lutas (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock) re-entered and promptly stole second to put the potential tying run into scoring position, but a final strikeout ended the game.
 
Molnar was 2-for-3 with a triple and home run. Pellios and Griffith added solo homers.
 
Senior Allison Podmajersky (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) allowed five runs on 11 hits and one walk, striking out two (11-8).
 
Senior third baseman Alicia Marino finished 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three RBI for Manhattanville. Junior Alycia Feeney gave up six hits, four runs and a walk while recording four strikeouts (18-5).
 
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