Box Score
MAAC Tournament Game Day Central
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Jaspers' sophomore John Soldinger battled through his sixth complete game of the season to lift the Manhattan baseball team to a 3-2 victory over Canisius in game one of the 2011 MAAC Tournament at Waterfront Park in Trenton, N.J. Sophomore catcher Ramon Ortega delivered the game-tying RBI singe in the eighth inning and junior reserve first baseman Matt Troisi drew a game winning walk with the bases loaded in the ninth to send Manhattan (32-17) off in triumph.
Manhattan will advance into the winners' bracket of the double elimination tournament. The top-seeded Jaspers will face #3 Siena on Friday at 7 p.m.
Soldinger, the 2011 MAAC Pitcher of the Year, outlasted Canisius starter Shane Davis en route to his conference leading 10th victory. The right hander from Bay Shore, N.Y. stuck out six batters and yielded only six hits in a 123 pitch valiant effort. Davis lasted 7 1/3 innings and had four strikeouts, before turning the ball over to Chris Cox who gave up the winning run.
Canisius (25-31) worked Soldinger for the first run of the ballgame in the opening frame, beginning with a lead off single from left fielder Will Chomicki. Golden Griffs' shortstop Sean Jamieson then drove in Chomicki with a single two batters later. The Jaspers quickly settled the situation with an inning ending double play started by freshman second baseman Yoandry Galan, which was the beginning of his brilliant defensive performance.
Manhattan left three runners on base until it broke the scoreless drought against Davis in the sixth inning. Jaspers' all-time hits (284), runs (233) and doubles (69) leader Mark Onorati got Manhattan going with a lead off double down the right field line. After a sacrifice bunt by Jaspers' sophomore shortstop Nick Camastro, senior first baseman Austin Sheffield recorded the game-tying RBI single to lock the contest at 1-1.
The Golden Griffs recovered its one run lead in the top of the seventh inning. Singles from first baseman Brian Burton and second baseman Jose Torralba, along with back-to-back walks to catcher Andrew Russo and designated hitter Shane Zimmer pushed Canisius up 2-1.
Jaspers' speedy sophomore left fielder Anthony Vega entered the ballgame in the eighth inning after a pinch hit situation for Joe Rock. The timely defensive move immediately paid dividends as Vega saved a potential lead off extra base hit when he ran down Chomicki's deep fly ball into the left center gap.
Manhattan capitalized on the Golden Griffs pitching change with one out in the eight inning when Canisius turned to Cox. Jaspers' senior slugger Chad Salem was hit by a pitch prompting the switch on the mound. Sheffield replaced Salem on first base hitting into a fielder's choice, and then right fielder Mike McCann walked to give the Jaspers runners on first and second with two outs. Jaspers' sophomore reserve infielder Brian Simmons pinch ran for Sheffield as Ortega then drove him home with a timely RBI single up the middle to tie the contest at 2-2.
Soldinger elevated his game in the ninth inning retiring three Golden Griffs in order to set the stage for the Jaspers walk off win. Vega drew a lead off walk in the bottom of the ninth, and then after Onorati and Salem were hit by pitches to load up the bases Troisi stepped into the batters box with two outs. Troisi, who entered the game in the ninth inning replacing Sheffield, looked at four straight balls to force home the decisive run.
The Jaspers advance into the winners' bracket of the MAAC Tournament for the fourth time in head coach Kevin Leighton's six year tenure. Manhattan swept the three game regular-season series at Siena in March.
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