GAME 2 BOXSCORERiverdale, N.Y. (March 25, 2006)- In the MAAC opener for both teams, Manhattan blanked Siena, 12-0, behind a dominant performance from ace
Chris Cody in the opener, then turned the ball over to rookie
Mike Gazzola in the nightcap, and the freshman responded with a nine strikeout performance in a 4-2 win. The Jaspers improve to 7-8, 2-0 MAAC, while the Saints fall to 2-15, 0-2 MAAC.
In the opener, after a scoreless first, Manhattan plated two in the bottom of the second on a two-out, two-RBI single by
Dom Lombardi. The Jaspers added three more in the fifth on a RBI groundout from
Eric Nieto and a second two-out, two-RBI single, this time off the bat of
Nick Derba, to make the score 5-0.
Manhattan would extend the lead to 6-0 in the sixth on an RBI double by
Nunzio Franzese, before blowing the game open with a six run eight, with the big blow being a three run blast by
John Fitzpatrick.
Cody scattered three hits over eight shutout innings, allowing just four runners to advance into scoring position. He added seven strikeouts before yielding to
Jeremy Shaw in the ninth. Shaw struck out two in his inning of work.
The Manhattan bats picked up right where they left off to begin the nightcap, scoring two first inning runs on RBI by
Mike Garcia and
Matt Rizzotti.
The score remained 2-0 until Siena cracked the scoreboard in the fifth on a solo blast by Eric Hildenbrand. The Jaspers would respond with a run in the bottom of the frame on Derba RBI single, and would add an insurance run in the sixth on a
Rene Ruiz RBI single, scoring pinch runner Jourdain Dutton.
Siena would make things interesting in the top of the seventh, rallying with two outs. A walk and a double brought home a run and brought closer
Kyle Wirtz into the game for Manhattan, but Wirtz got pinch hitter Billy Lazio to fly out to center to end the game.
Gazzola struck out nine over 6.2 innings, scattering six hits and allowing two runs. Wirtz earned the save after facing just one batter.
The two teams conclude their three game MAAC series tomorrow at 12 noon.
