Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Manhattan baseball team surrendered both games of a conference doubleheader on Saturday to Marist (7-10, 2-0 MAAC) falling 1-0 and 4-2 at McCann Field. The Jaspers will have a chance to rebound in the third game of the MAAC opening series slated for Sunday at 12 p.m. in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Game one featured a pitching duel between Jaspers' junior John Soldinger and Red Foxes' senior Chad Gallagher. Gallagher stifled Manhattan's (3-16, 0-2 MAAC) line up as he allowed just two hits without a walk in the complete game shutout. Soldinger was nearly as good as he posted five strikeouts and yielded only four hits, but a two-out RBI single in the first inning from Marist senior left fielder Eric Helmrich was the difference.
Manhattan couldn't find a hit until the seventh inning when the Jaspers came up with two against Gallagher, who retired the first 18 batters in order. Jaspers' junior center fielder Anthony Vega broke up Gallagher's no-hitter with a one-out single, which was followed by junior third baseman Kyle Murphy's single through the left side. Marist quickly squashed Manhattan's only scoring threat by picking off Vega on second and then getting junior catcher Ramon Ortega to ground out to shortstop.
In game two, Manhattan could not maintain a one run lead as the Red Foxes scored all four of their runs in the fourth inning to take a 4-2 decision. Jaspers' senior starter Mike Giordano lasted four innings, but was outdueled by Marist starter Chris Bielak who had four strikeouts to earn his first win of the year.
Sophomore right fielder Andrew Gorecki ended the Jaspers scoring drought when he put the first run on the scoreboard in the second inning with a lead off home run to right field. Giordano was strong on the mound through the first three frames as he gave up just one hit, before he ran into trouble in the fourth inning.
Helmrich led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single to left field. Giordano battled to get the next two outs, but had trouble getting the third. A single by sophomore Mark Stuckey and back-to-back hit batters let in the equalizing run to tie the game at 1-1. A bases loaded walk then put Marist ahead and junior first baseman Mike Orefice delivered the two-RBI single to give the Red Foxes a 4-1 cushion.
Manhattan got a lead off single from junior designated hitter Nick Camastro in the sixth inning and then Vega walked to put runners on first and second with no outs. But the Red Foxes turned to the bullpen calling for senior Jake Rifkin who settled the situation giving up only one run on Ortega's sacrifice fly. Rifkin retired three of four Jaspers faced in the seventh inning to earn the save.
The Jaspers will look to avoid the series sweep on Sunday, something the program has not experienced in MAAC play in nearly two years. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. at McCann Field on the Marist campus.
