Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – After dropping their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) game of the season on Friday, the Manhattan baseball team fell twice on Saturday in a series sweep at the hands of Niagara. The Purple Eagles (7-19, 3-3 MAAC) won game one 7-0, before squeaking out a 2-1 win in the nightcap.
The first contest started out as a war of attrition between both pitchers. Niagara starter Jordan Schwartz did not allow the Jaspers (10-13, 3-3 MAAC) to get ahead early, tossing a complete seven inning shutout allowing just six hits. Meanwhile, Matt Jordan (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) set down the side in order in the bottom of the first and worked around a leadoff single in the second to keep the score at 0-0 through two innings.
However, the third inning would be a troublesome one for the southpaw. After allowing another leadoff base hit, Jordan got two quick outs and looked to get out of the inning unscathed. He would then walk Joel Klock before a wild pitch but runners on the corners with two outs. Michael Fuhrman then drove in one of his three RBI in the game with a single before Ryan McCauley doubled to right bringing in one, with another scoring on a throwing error from Andrew Gorecki (Smithtown, N.Y./St. Anthony's) to go up 3-0 after three.
The Purple Eagles added two more in the fourth on a Jeff Calhoon homerun off Jordan, and two more in the fifth when Fuhrman hit a two run shot of his own off Kevin Bonanni (Plainview, N.Y./Plainview JFK) who replaced Jordan following a leadoff walk. Jordan (0-2) finished the game tossing four plus innings allowing six runs, five earned, on six hits. He also struck out four and walked two.
Schwartz held down the Manhattan bats, not allowing a runner to reach second base until the top of the seventh when Gorecki singled Aidan John O'Leary (Portsmouth, N.H./Portsmouth) over with two outs. He then got Matt Troisi (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) to ground out to first to end game one. Schwartz (1-2) went the full seven giving up just six hits, walking one and striking out three.
In game two, the Jaspers again struggled offensively getting just one base runner in the first three innings. Starting pitcher Scott McClennan (Highland Mills, N.Y./Cornwall) kept the Eagles at bay despite some early trouble. Manhattan was finally able to squeeze a run home in the top of the fourth, stringing together three hits off Jim Fort. It began when Kyle Murphy (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross) laced a one out single up the middle. Two batters later, Brendan Slattery (Danbury, Conn./Brookfield) got another base hit to put two on with two out. O'Leary then drove in Murphy with a single to right for the only run of the inning.
Niagara answered right back in the home half as Evan Wexler launched a two run shot to put the Purple Eagles up 2-1 after four. Fort would settle in allowing just one hit over the next two innings.
Manhattan would have two rallies fall short, coming in both the seventh and ninth. The Jaspers mounted a two out rally against relief pitcher Sean Quinlan, loading the bases following singles from Christian Santisteban (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) and Joe Rock (Carmel, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) along with a Yoandry Galan (Miami, Fla./Florida Christian) walk. Niagara then went to the bullpen for the second time in the inning and Geoff Soja induced an inning ending pop-up from Nick Camastro (Lagrangeville, N.Y./Arlington).
They would load the bases again in the ninth, this time with just one out. Both Gorecki and Rock would hit singles, with each also stealing second, to put runners on second and third. A pinch-hit walk worked by Troisi gave the Jaspers their best scoring chance of the day. Unfortunately, Camastro hit a line drive into left that was snagged by Kevin Paulsen who doubled up Gorecki to end the game.
McClennan (2-2) took the loss giving up two runs on eight hits in six innings. He also walked two and struck out one batter before Jacob Marchus (Miami, Fla./Miami Palmetto) pitched two shutout innings for Manhattan. Fort (2-3) got the win for Niagara going six innings allowing one run on five hits with three strikeouts. Soja picked up his second save of the year going two and one-thirds scoreless in relief.
The Jaspers return to action on Tues., April 2, when they travel to Hempstead, N.Y. to take on Hofstra University at 3 p.m. before opening up their home slate on Wednesday by hosting cross-borough rival Fordham at 3:30 p.m. at Van Cortlandt Park.
