Riverdale, N.Y. (April 18, 2007)- Three Manhattan pitchers combined on a one-hitter, and three different Jaspers went deep as Manhattan won its 12th straight game, 9-0, over Fairleigh Dickinson University this afternoon at Van Cortlandt Park. With the win, the Jaspers improve to 20-11, and, coupled with the University of Michigan's 10-2 loss to Eastern Michigan University, Manhattan now holds the longest winning streak in the nation (12 straight) as well as the longest road winning streak in the nation (11 games).
A one out, infield single in the top of the first inning was the only hit allowed by Manhattan starter Zac Goyer (1-0), who earned his first collegiate win, working the first 5.1 innings, striking out three. In fact, only one FDU base runner reached scoring position the whole game. Jeremy Shaw relieved Goyer and twirled 2.2 innings of no-hit ball to run his stretch of no-hit innings to 8.2 over his last four appearances. Tom Moran worked a perfect ninth, striking out two, to close things out.
Mike Garcia continued his hot hitting of late, blasting a one-out, opposite field home run in the second to provide all the offense Manhattan would need. Garcia has now hit four round trippers in his last three games.
The Jaspers blew the game open in the fifth, scoring six runs on six hits. Kevin Nieto led off the inning with a single, and advance to third in a double by Ruben Perez. Ryan Masters plated Kevin Nieto with a sacrifice fly, with Perez moving to third on the play before Nunzio Franzese's RBI double scored Perez. After an out and a wild pitch moved Franzese to third, a Knight error allowed Rene Ruiz to reach and Franzese to score. Matt Rizzotti then deposited an FDU offering over the left center field fence for two more runs, and, after a pitching change, Nick Derba also homered to round out the scoring for the inning.
In the seventh, Ruiz scored on a wild pitch and Marc Giordano drove home Erik Lucas with an RBI single to provide the final margin.
Manhattan gets back in action this weekend, traveling to Niagara Falls, N.Y. to battle Niagara University in a three-game MAAC series, beginning Saturday, April 21 with a double header at Sal Maglie Stadium, and concluding with a single, nine-inning game on Sunday, April 22. The first pitch on both days is slated for 12 noon.
