Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. ? The Manhattan College baseball team was out-slugged at Hofstra (4-15) on Tuesday falling 19-10 in the non-conference tilt. The Pride, a Colonial Athletic Association member, used four RBI apiece from seniors Tom Legregni, Chris Mentrasti and junior John Kenny to earn the win. Jaspers' sophomore Chad Salem assisted Manhattan's (11-9) offensive effort blasting his fourth home run of the season.
Salem put the Jaspers on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning when he sent a two-run homer over the center field wall. Junior co-captain Kevin Nieto scored on the play after reaching base with a lead off double, his eighth double of the season.
Salem hit 4-for-5 and scored three runs, while Nieto went 2-for-5, scored three runs and recorded a RBI.
Hofstra retaliated with three runs before the Jaspers could record an out. Legregni got the scoring started with a RBI double, and then Kenny sent a two-run shot over the center field wall. Both players were 3-for-5 from the plate on the afternoon.
The Jaspers recaptured a lead with three runs in the second inning. Junior catcher Jamie Fitzgerald tied the game at 3-3, scoring on back-to-back wild pitches. Then Nieto and fellow outfielder Mike McCann gave Manhattan a two run edge with consecutive RBI singles.
The Pride rallied for seven runs over the third and fourth innings to run away with the contest. Hofstra's four run third inning featured center fielder Nick Panzarella's two-out two-RBI single. In the fourth, Legregni delivered a two-RBI single.
Hofstra starting pitcher Kevin Rigopoulos earned the victory, despite allowing seven earned runs and nine hits over five innings of work. Jaspers' reliever Tom Moran was the most effective of the Jaspers four twirlers, going four innings, yielding four earned runs and notching four strikeouts.
The hard hitting Jaspers built on their .352 team batting average with McCann's perfect 3-for-3 performance. McCann extended his consecutive game hit streak to 13, and has posted multi-hit ballgames in eight of the last nine contests. Classmate Austin Sheffield added two hits to the effort.
Manhattan returns to Riverdale for its home opener on Wednesday versus Albany at Van Cortlandt Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
