GAME 2 BOXSCORERiverdale, N.Y. (April 1, 2006)-
Chris Cody went the distance, and
Matt Rizzotti and
Ryan Marcoux each hit a home run as Manhattan defeated Niagara, 5-4, in the first game of two this afternoon at Van Cortlandt Park. The Purple Eagles posted a 5-3 win in the nightcap in the battle of the two teams atop the MAAC standings. Manhattan is now 10-9, 4-1 in MAAC play, while Niagara is 12-12, 4-1 in MAAC play.
Cody and Purple Eagle starter Mike Radanovic each put up goose-eggs over the first three innings, until Niagara cracked the scoreboard in the fourth when Mike Alati singled to left, and Andrew Macdonald came around to score on a Manhattan error.
The Jasper bats finally came alive in the sixth, plating five runs on four hits. After
Nick Derba singled to lead off the innings, Rizzotti connected on his first homer of the season, a deep shot to dead centerfield.
Mike Garcia scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by
Nunzio Franzese, before Marcoux's shot made the score 5-1 in favor of Manhattan.
The Purple Eagles would respond in the top of the seventh, as Jeff Vincent and Andrew MacNevin belted back-to-back homers to start the inning. Niagara would climb to within one in the eighth on a Mike Medici RBI single, but could not score the equalizer.
Cody earned his fourth win of the season, allowing three earned runs while striking out 10. Radanovic (3-1) took the loss, allowing two earned runs over 6.0 innings, while fanning nine.
In the nightcap, Manhattan took the early lead, as Rizzotti belted his second homer of the afternoon in the bottom of the first to give the Jaspers a 1-0 lead.
Niagara would plate three runs in the third on a RBI single by Matt Schaefer, an Macdonald sacrifice fly, and an Alati solo homer.
Dom Lombardi brought the Jaspers within one, 3-2, in the fourth with a solo homer, but Niagara got the run right back in the top of the fifth on a Vincent RBI double.
In the seventh, Medici provided what would amount to be a big insurance run with a RBI single, as Manhattan put together a two out rally, with
Eric Nieto, Derba each getting singles before Rizzotti came through with a third straight single, scoring Nieto and bringing the winning run to the plate, but Manhattan's rally would end one batter later, as Tyler Addison came on in relief and earned his fourth save of the year.
Josh Sawatzky picked up the win for Niagara, going the first 6.2 innings.
Mike Gazzola took the loss for the Jaspers.
The two teams play the rubber match tomorrow, beginning at 12 noon.
