Box Score
Box Score
LAKEWOOD, N.J. - Manhattan rallied to tie the game with two runs in the seventh inning but Fairfield scratched out a run with two outs in the eighth to ultimately capture a 3-2 victory on the first day of the 2014 MAAC Championships.
The sixth-seeded Jaspers won seven of their previous nine conference games coming into the matchup with third-seeded Fairfield. The two teams did not play each other during the regular season, adding to the intensity of the playoff game.
Manhattan had the game's first true scoring chance after Joe McClennan stroked a leadoff double down the left field line in the third inning. After Mikey Miranda executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to push McClennan to third base with one out, Fairfield starter E.J. Ashworth beared down to strike out the next two batters to escape the threat.
In the bottom of the third, the Stags scored two runs off Manhattan starter Joey Rocchietti to grab the lead. Rob LoPinto doubled home Alex Witkus, who started the frame with a bunt single. After a walk to Ryan Plourde and a single by Jake Salpietro loaded the bases, Sebastian Salvo drove a sacrifice fly to score LoPinto with the second run of the inning. Rocchietti settled down after that point and allowed just two base runners until the eighth.
Rocchietti's strong effort in the middle innings gave the Jaspers a chance to come back. Although Ashworth only had allowed the double by McClennan through the first six innings, Manhattan got to him in the seventh.
Chris Kalousdian started the frame by driving a booming double to the wall in left field. Jose Carrera then smacked a single to right field on the first pitch he saw to put runners at the corners. Christian Santisteban got the Jaspers on the board with a hard-hit sacrifice fly to center field, making it a 2-1 game. Ashworth paid close attention to Carrera at first base with one out, and after several throws to first base, Carrera stole second base, putting the tying run at second with one out.
Brendan Slattery took advantage, grounding a single past the Fairfield shortstop into left field for a base hit. Carrera scored just ahead of the throw home as the Jaspers tied the score at 2-2.
After Rocchietti tossed a 1-2-3 seventh, the Jaspers got Kalousdian to second base with two outs in the eighth. Carrera laced a 1-2 pitch in the air but hit it right at the right fielder Jack Giannini for the final out. In the bottom of the eighth, Fairfield mounted a two-out rally on consecutive singles by Salvo and Giannini.
The first offering from Rocchietti to Brendan Tracy bounced in the dirt and trickled away from Miranda, the catcher. Pinch-runner Eric Fajardo darted for third base and Giannini took second on the wild pitch, just ahead of the throw by Miranda. Giannini overslid the second-base bag but got back just ahead of Carrera's tag. While Giannini was getting back safely at second base, Fajardo sprinted home and was ruled safe ahead of Carrera's throw home with the go-ahead run.
Ashworth retired the Jaspers in order in the ninth to earn the complete-game victory and send Fairfield to a meeting with second-seeded Siena on Thursday at noon.
The Jaspers will play fifth-seeded Monmouth on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in an elimination game at the 2014 MAAC Baseball Championships.
