Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two
RIVERDALE, N.Y. ? Jaspers' junior Kevin Nieto hit 6-for-8 and launched his team-leading 10th home run of the season, while sophomore Mike McCann was 7-for-11 from the plate with four RBI as Manhattan (19-9) earned back-to-back victories over Vermont (5-18) and NJIT (1-18) on Friday in Burlington, Vt. The wins extend the Jaspers' longest winning streak of the season to eight games.
Manhattan posted two runs in the top of the ninth inning in game one to edge Vermont 7-6 in the non-conference tilt. McCann singled in Nieto, who was a perfect 4-for-4 in the contest, to tie the ballgame at six, and then Jaspers' third baseman Chad Salem delivered a clutch sacrifice fly which sent Mark Onorati across the plate for the game winning run.
McCann and Salem each contributed two RBI to the winning effort. Senior infielder Ruben Perez hit 2-for-4 and scored a run to help lead the Jaspers to their 12th road victory of the season.
Jaspers' starting pitcher Mike Gazzola threw six efficient innings, allowed four runs and recorded three strikeouts before turning the ball over to the bullpen. Junior reliever Tom Moran picked up his third win of the season after recording the final five outs, while limiting the Catamounts to only two hits over this scoreless stretch.
Nieto led off the game with his fourth triple of the season and gave the Jaspers a one run advantage when he crossed the plate after a wild pitch. Vermont responded in the bottom of the second with a three run rally on four hits to gain its first lead of the game. Catamount sophomore outfielder Tom Jackson tied the game at 1-1 with a RBI single, before freshman Dave Soltis contributed a two RBI base hit.
Manhattan first baseman Austin Sheffield tripled in the fourth inning pushing Perez across the plate, but Vermont posted another run of its own in the bottom of the fifth to extend its lead back to two.
The Jaspers chased Catamount starting pitcher Joe Serafin out of the game in the seventh inning after back-to-bat RBI singles off the bats of Onorati and McCann which tied the game at 4-4. Salem hit a sacrifice fly to left field to conclude the scoring surge giving the Jaspers a one run lead.
Serafin allowed five earned runs and eight hits over six and one third innings of work on the hill.
Vermont used a pair of RBIs from Ethan Paquette and Jackson in the eighth to take a 6-5 lead, which set the stage for the Jaspers second straight late inning comeback win.
In game two, Manhattan erupted for 18 hits en route to an 11-2 victory over NJIT. Jaspers' right hander Mike Giordano pitched seven shutout innings and limited the Highlanders to just four hits to win his fifth straight start.
The Jaspers scored all 11 runs before NJIT got on the scoreboard. McCann highlighted the offensive effort with a 5-for-6 performance from the plate to go along with three runs and two RBI. McCann pushed his consecutive game hit streak to 21 games. Anthony Armenio hit 3-for-5 with a RBI, while Salem and junior catcher Jamie Fitzgerald each contributed two RBI. Freshman infielder Taylor Sewitt registered the first hit of his collegiate career as he singled to right field in the ninth.
Manhattan rushed out to a 7-0 lead by the fourth inning, a surge that was highlighted by Nieto's solo home run in the second inning. The Miami native recorded his ninth double of the year earlier in the contest. Onorati, McCann, Armenio, Perez and Fitzgerald also registered doubles.
Giordano rolled through the first seven innings on the mound notching seven strikeouts along the way. He retired the last nine batters he faced before turning the ball over to junior Zac Goyer to close out the win.
Goyer gave up just one hit, a two run homer from sophomore John Berner in the top of the ninth, and struck out three. NJIT starter Matt Melody was credit with the loss, allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits over five innings.
The Jaspers return to the diamond at Centennial Field for one last game on Saturday against Vermont at 1 p.m.
