Box Score
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The ManhattanCollege baseball team hit the road for the second straight weekend to begin Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play on Friday, visiting Niagara to open a three-game series. After the Jaspers (10-11, 3-1 MAAC) tied the game in the top of the eighth, the Purple Eagles (5-19, 1-3 MAAC) responded with two runs in their half of the inning to post a 7-5 victory at Bobo Field.
After Niagara scored twice in the bottom of the first, Manhattan took the lead with a four-spot in the top of the third. Brendan Slattery (Danbury, Conn.) reached on an error to start the inning and eventually came around on a double by Joe McClennan (Highland Mills, N.Y.). The Jaspers tied it when Kyle Murphy (Waterbury, Conn.) reached on an error, allowing Nick Camastro (Lagrangeville, N.Y.) to score. Christian Santisteban (Miami, Fla.) then delivered a single to center field that drove in a pair, putting Manhattan in front 4-2.
However, Niagara countered with three runs in the bottom of the third. After the Purple Eagles started the inning with a base hit and a walk against John Soldinger (Bay Shore, N.Y.), Greg Rodgers drove in a run with a single back to the mound. After Kevin Paulsen was hit by a pitch to load the bases, a pair of runs came across when Logan Linder beat out an infield single and Yoandry Galan's (Miami, Fla.) throw to first was off the mark.
Trailing 5-4, the Jaspers rallied to tie it in the eighth. Ramon Ortega (Miami, Fla.) drew a walk to open the inning, and Santisteban followed with a single. After Aidan John O'Leary (Portsmouth, N.H.) bunted the runners over, the tying run scored on Matt Troisi's (Brooklyn, N.Y.) RBI groundout.
The Purple Eagles immediately responded, though, as a hit batsman and back-to-back singles by Michael Fuhrman and Ryan McCauley resulted in a pair of runs. Manhattan went down in order in the ninth, giving Niagara a 7-5 victory.
Manhattan outhit Niagara 7-6, with Santisteban going 3-for-4 at the plate and collecting two RBIs. Joe McClennan was 1-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Soldinger gave up five runs (four earned) on four hits while walking seven and striking out two in 5.2 innings before being relieved by Michael Scarinci (Nanuet, N.Y.). Scarinci took the loss after surrendering two runs (one earned) and two hits with a pair of strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work.
For Niagara, Fuhrman led the way with a 2-for-3 performance. He also scored three times. Despite going 0-for-2 at the plate, Joel Klock crossed the plate twice, including scoring the game-winner. Starting pitcher Kyle Olver lasted seven innings. He yielded five runs (three earned) on seven hits, struck out five and walked three. Geoff Soja (1-1) didn't allow a base runner in two innings of relief, striking out two.
The Jaspers and Purple Eagles will conclude the series with a doubleheader on Saturday. Game one will be seven innings and get underway at 12 p.m., followed by a nine-inning second game.
