Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two
RIVERDALE, N.Y. ? For the fourth straight year, the Manhattan College baseball team won its 30th contest by earning a game one victory in a doubleheader split at Niagara (17-30, 11-6 MAAC) on Saturday. The Jaspers rallied from behind and cruised to a 17-6 win, but then fell 7-4 in game two. Manhattan (30-13, 14-3 MAAC) will settle the series with the Purple Eagles in the rubber match on Sunday at 12 p.m. at Sal Maglie Stadium.
In game one, freshman infielder Will DeRuve split a 6-6 tie in the eighth inning with a suicide squeeze to get the game winning run across the plate, and spark an 11 run rally. DeRuve, who entered the game in the second for the injured Kevin Nieto, tripled in his next at bat in the inning which was good for three RBI to put the Jaspers ahead 17-6.
Manhattan registered nine of its 18 hits in the eighth as it rolled through its fifth 10-run inning of the season. The surge also featured Anthony Armenio's ninth home run of the year, a two-run bomb, and RBI singles from sophomores Mike McCann and Chad Salem.
The Purple Eagles blasted five solo home runs, with the first two shots coming back-to-back off the bats of catcher Matt Lucchesi and second baseman Brian Deering in the bottom of the third to take a 2-0 edge. Deering launched three home runs in the doubleheader.
The Jaspers evened the game at two in the top of the fourth when Jamie Fitzgerald dropped a two-RBI base hit into shallow left field. Fitzgerald was one of six Jaspers who recorded multi-hits in the contest. McCann and Ruben Perez had three apiece, while Austin Sheffield, Mark Onorati, Salem and Fitzgerald all had two.
Niagara retaliated in the bottom of the fourth with another solo home run from third baseman Trevor Rutkowski, but the Jaspers regained the advantage by posting four runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 6-3 lead. The charge consisted of McCann's RBI single, Armenio's sacrifice fly, and then Perez's two out, two-run homer which exited over the left center field wall.
Deering notched his second homer of the game in the fifth and right fielder Wynton Bernard singled in the next run to pull Niagara within 6-5. Soon thereafter, shortstop Jason Cramer delivered the game tying solo homer in sixth.
Manhattan starting pitcher Mike Gazzola worked through seven innings and picked up his fifth win of the season. Along the way, he struck out five batters and did not record a walk. Purple Eagles' starting right hander Marcus Spaulding was credit with the loss and falls to 3-5 on the year. Spaulding lasted through seven and one third innings, allowing seven runs before the floodgates opened in the eighth.
Niagara capitalized on a five run fifth inning in game two to earn a 7-4 win. Despite recording five strikeouts and walking just two batters in four and one third innings, Jaspers' starter Tom Costigan came up on the short end the pitching duel as he lost his second game of the year.
Manhattan was hindered by its sloppy fielding in the fourth inning as the Purple Eagles turned two errors into two runs. Niagara held on to the advantage and never trailed in the ballgame.
The Jaspers used a RBI single up the middle by McCann in the top of the fifth inning to get on the scoreboard, and then Onorati dropped a high flying base hit between the Niagara shortstop and leftfielder to get in the tying run, which locked the game at 2-2.
The Purple Eagles posted their go ahead runs in the fifth which featured Deerings third homer of the day. The three run shot capped the rally and put Niagara out front 7-2. Deering went 4-for-6 with five RBI in the doubleheader.
The Jaspers mounted what appeared to be a promising rally of their own in the sixth inning, but came up short. Manhattan worked two runs on the scoreboard on Fitzgerald's RBI infield hit, and then McCann's walk with the bases loaded to get within 7-4. In the next at bat with two out and the bases still loaded, Onorati just missed a grand opportunity to put the Jaspers ahead with one swing of the bat. Onorati sent a high fly ball deep into center, but Niagara's Stephen Smith caught the ball on the warning track to escape the inning, and eventually hold on for the win.
Niagara starter Joe Candelmo picked up the victory, improving his record on the hill to 3-6. Freshman reliever Adam Wagner earned the save, his fourth of the year.
