Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. ? Sophomore outfielder Kevin Nieto went 3-for-6 from the plate, knocked in three RBIs and scored twice helping the Manhattan College baseball team to a 8-1 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson (2-15) this afternoon in Teaneck, N.J. Manhattan (7-11-1) utilized five pitchers who gave up 10 hits, but allowed only one run earning the squad its seventh road win of the 2008 campaign.
Back-to-back doubles by Mark Onorati and Nieto manufactured the first run of the ballgame. Nieto's blast down the left field line got Onorati in, and marked his fifth multi-base hit of the year.
Manhattan added seven more runs to its advantage over the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, before the Knights could get on the scoreboard.
In the fifth, Nieto notched a two-out double to right field, before fellow underclassman Chad Salem gave him a trip around the bases with a RBI triple. Salem went 2-for-4 and scored a run.
The sixth also proved to be prosperous for the Jaspers. Junior Ruben Perez and freshman Luis Llerena posted back-to-back singles to kick off the inning. Onorati followed with an RBI single which scored Perez, while Nieto continued the surge with a two RBI single which cleared the bases. Nieto later scored on a fielding error.
Onorati managed his second double of the afternoon and seventh of the season in the top of the seventh when he blasted a shot to right field. Senior Erik Lucas scored on the play, while pinch running for Anthony Armenio.
In total, Onorati exploded for three hits, two RBIs and two runs.
Junior left fielder Matt Maher was the sole bright spot for Fairleigh Dickinson when he connected on a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to break up the Jaspers' shutout bid. Manhattan underclassmen Brian Pendergast, Mike Tibbetts, Tom Moran, Tom Costigan and junior Joe Culen combined for the superb pitching performance. Tibbetts was credited with the win.
Manhattan returns to action on Saturday with its doubleheader at LeMoyne. The first contest is set for noon in Syracuse.
