Box Score Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF)
WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. - Manhattan clinched a series victory over Niagara by an 8-4 count at Dutchess Stadium thanks to a balanced offensive showing and a strong pitching performance from senior RHP Scott McClennan (Highland Mills, N.Y. / Cornwall Central).
With the win, the Jaspers improve to 13-27 and 7-11 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) while the Purple Eagles fall to 10-22-2 and 7-8 in the league.
"I thought Scott pitched well and certainly gave his team a good chance to win while Michael was excellent out of the pen," said head coach Jim Duffy. "I'm proud of the team's resilience, bouncing back to win the series after losing game one. There has been plenty of adversity along the way but we continue to grind."
Despite only recording six hits, Manhattan was able to draw six free passes while seeing eight of its nine regulars reach base safely.
McClennan was on his game in the early going and needed just six pitches to retire the side in the top of the second before running into trouble in the third as Niagara opened the scoring when Geoff Soto scored on a double play grounder before Julian Gallup scampered home on a wild pitch.
The Jaspers immediately responded with five runs in the bottom part of the frame while sending 10 batters to the plate. Freshman Brendan Bisset (New City, N.Y. / Don Bosco Prep (N.J.)) led off with a single before moving to second on a ground out. After advancing to third on senior Chris Kalousdian's (Fort Salonga, N.Y. / Kings Park) second hit of the game, junior Christian Santisteban (Miami, Fla. / Gulliver Prep) walked to load the bases. Senior Joe McClennan (Highland Mills, N.Y. / Cornwall Central) was plunked on the ensuing play, forcing in Bisset before Jason Patnick (So., Hopewell, N.J. / IMG Academy (Fla.)) plated Kalousdian with a RBI single through the left side to tie the score at 2-2.
Senior Vin Teixeira (Hamden, Conn. / Hamden Hall Country Day) then became to be the second batter in the frame to be plunked, forcing in Santisteban while giving Manhattan a lead it would not relinquish. Junior Chris Reynolds (Wall, N.J. / St. Rose) then scored Joe McClennan on a fielder's choice choice grounder before Patnick scored on an error in extending the lead out to 5-2.
The Purple Eagles responded with a run in the top of the sixth when Tanner Kirwer led off with a double before advancing to third and scoring on a pair of ground outs while trimming the deficit to 5-3.
As was the case in the third, Manhattan answered with a pair of runs in the bottom part of the frame. Freshman Michael Pfenninger (Flemington, N.J. / Hunterdon Central) led off with a single before Bisset drew a walk. Sophomore Matt Forlow (Cold Spring, N.Y. / Haldane) then bunted the runners over with a successful sacrifice. Kalousdian followed by plating Pfenninger with a well-placed ground out before Bisset scored on an error in extending the Jasper advantage out to 7-3.
Niagara would trim the lead to 7-4 in the top of the seventh on Soto's two-out, run-scoring double down the left field line. However, Manhattan evaded further damage when Pfenninger got Kirwer by a step at first for the final out of the frame.
After doing it with his glove, Pfenninger did it with his bat in the eighth, leading off with a double before coming around to score a Kalousdian sacrfice fly.
Senior Michael Scarinci (Nanuet, N.Y. / Pearl River) then capped his 2.0-inning save with a scoreless ninth while clinching the Jaspers' second MAAC series win of the year.
Kalousdian went 2-for-4 with two RBI while extending his hitting streak to 13 games as the fifth-year senior has also now batted safely in 17-of-19 with 13 multi-hit games during that time. Pfenninger also went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs to cap the multi-hit performers for Manhattan.
Bisset also had a strong game out of the leadoff spot with two runs, two walks and the single that started the Jaspers' five-run third.
Scott McClennan (3-6) earned his first MAAC win, striking out three while yielding four runs on six hits over 7.0 innings. Scarinci struck out one over 2.0 innings of one-hit ball in recording his first save of the season.
Soto paced an eight-hit Niagara effort, finishing up 2-for-4 with a run and a RBI.
RHP Liam Stroud (1-7) was saddled with the loss, allowing seven runs, five earned, with four strikeouts over 5.0 innings.
Manhattan returns to action against Fordham on Tuesday, April 28 at 6:30 p.m.
