Box Score
BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Four Manhattan pitchers combined to allow just four NYIT base hits in a 2-0 Manhattan victory at MCU Park on Wednesday afternoon.
Maxx Feldman, Sean Abbate, Chris Liquori and Shawn Kanwisher each pitched brilliantly, keeping the Bears off balance all day, and a two-run Manhattan eighth gave the Jaspers enough offense for the win.
Abbate entered with two outs in the second inning in relief of Feldman, who issued three consecutive walks after getting the first two outs. Abbate promptly struck out Frank Sanacore, beginning his brilliant run of pitching.
Abbate retired 10 straight batters until Gerson Sotolongo led off the sixth and was hit by a pitch. Abbate erased Sotolongo quickly when Vin Teixeira snagged a line drive to double up Sotolongo at first base. Abbate struck out cleanup hitter Joshua Canabal to end the frame, then retired the side in order in the bottom half of the seventh.
In the top of the eighth, pinch-hitter Matt Forlow singled the other way to start the frame. Joe McClennan followed by dropping down a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away by the catcher, allowing Forlow to go to third base and McClennan to second base. Yoandry Galan's sacrifice fly brought home Forlow, giving the Jaspers a 1-0 lead. Jose Carrera then plated McClennan with a run-scoring groundout to make it 2-0.
Chris Liquori entered in relief in the eighth inning. NYIT loaded the bases with two outs against Liquori but the sophomore right-hander got Canabal looking at a called third strike to keep the Jaspers ahead, 2-0.
NYIT loaded the bases again in the ninth, this time with one out. Freshman Shawn Kanwisher came in from the bullpen and induced a 4-6-3 ground ball double play on a high chopper to end the game.
"The difference was today was that we pitched and played defense," head coach Jim Duffy said. "We played until the last play"
Manhattan is back in action on Friday, March 14 at Seton Hall to start a three-game series.