Riverdale, NY (May 11, 2005)- Manhattan send 11 batters to the plate in the first inning before an out was recorded, scoring 10 runs en route to an 17-7 win over Sacred Heart at Van Cortlandt Park in the final regular season non-conference game for the Jaspers. Manhattan improves to 23-16 in winning its sixth straight game, while the Pioneers fall to 18-28.
Manhattan's big first inning included five hits, three walks, and four hit batsmen with the biggest hit coming from
Eric Nieto in his second at-bat of the inning, a bases-clearing double. The Sacred Heart starter did not record an out, allowing all nine batters he faced to reach base.
The Jaspers scored three more in the second, again batting around, highlighted by a
Nunzio Franzese solo homer leading off the inning.
The Pioneers plated two runs in the third before the teams exchanged runs in the fourth, making the score 14-3.
Sacred Heart scored twice in the top of the sixth, but
Matt Rizzotti plated
Gary Diaz with an RBI single in the bottom of the frame. The RBI was Rizzotti's third of the game and 52nd of the season, tying the Manhattan single season record.
Manhattan would score single runs in the seventh and eighth, and Sacred Heart would add two runs in its half of the eighth to provide the final margin.
Matt Nevins picked up his first collegiate win, going the first five innings, striking out four.
Manhattan gets back in action this weekend, when the Jaspers host MAAC foe LeMoyne in a three game set, beginning with a double header on Saturday, May 14 at 1:00 p.m. The five Manhattan seniors will be honored before the game.
