Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Game 1: Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF)
Game 2: Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF)
NEWARK, N.J. - NJIT (22-19-1) took both games of a doubleheader against Manhattan (15-32) at Riverfront Stadium by scores of 9-1 and 7-3.
Despite the losses, senior Chris Kalousdian (Fort Salonga, N.Y. / Kings Park) continued his hot hitting, finishing up a combined 4-for-6 with a pair of hits in each game. Kalousdian has now hit safely in 20 straight and 24-of-26 with 19 multi-hit games during that time.
The teams will conclude their series with another doubleheader tomorrow starting at 12 p.m.
Game One
LHP Ian Bentley struck out eight in a complete game effort and was backed up by a 17-hit offensive attack in leading NJIT to a 9-1 win over Manhattan.
The Jaspers quickly opened the scoring with a first-inning run. Sophomore Matt Forlow (Cold Spring, N.Y. / Haldane) got aboard with a bunt single before Kalousdian reached via a bloop hit to left. Junior Christian Santisteban (Miami, Fla. / Gulliver Prep) followed suit with hard-hit single to right field while loading up the bases. Senior Joe McClennan (Highland Mills, N.Y. / Cornwall Central) then opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly, chasing home Forlow in the process.
In the bottom of the frame, the Highlanders tied the game up at 1-1 as Bryan Haberstroh's two-out double plated Mike Rampone.
NJIT then took its first lead of the game at 3-1 with a pair of two-out runs thanks to a walk and three-straight singles in the bottom of the second before adding to the lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth.
The Highlanders finished the scoring with a pair of runs in the sixth inning in providing the final 9-1 score.
Kalousdian went 2-for-3 to pace a six-hit Manhattan attack.
Freshman LHP Tom Cosgrove (Staten Island, N.Y. / Monsignor Farrell) fell to 1-4 on the year in defeat, working 3.1 innings.
Haberstroh went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI to lead the way for an NJIT offense that had eight different players record multiple hits.
Game Two
The Highlanders picked up where they left off in rapping out 15 hits in posting a wire-to-wire 7-3 victory over the Jaspers.
NJIT struck quickly in the second game with a first-inning run before adding two more in the third in jumping out to the early 3-0 lead.
After failing to record a hit over the first three frames, Manhattan's came to life in the top of the fourth. Kalousdian and Santisteban led off with singles before Joe McClennan laced a run-scoring double to left center to score Kalousdian. Following a pop-up, senior Vin Teixeira (Hamden, Conn. / Hamden Hall Country Day) plated Santisteban with a fielder's choice grounder while trimming the Highlander advantage to 3-2.
NJIT would get one of those runs back in the bottom part of the frame only to have the Jaspers respond with a two-out rally in the top of the fifth. Santisteban laced a two-out, run-scoring double to center field to score Forlow while trimming the deficit to 4-3.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Highlanders immediately got that run back on a Rampone RBI double down the left field line in extending the advantage to 5-3.
Manhattan would threaten in the seventh with one-out singles from freshmen Michael Pfenninger (Flemington, N.J. / Hunterdon Central) and Brendan Bisset (New City, N.Y. / Don Bosco Prep (N.J.)). Unfortunately, the two would be left stranded
Ed Charlton then for all intents and purposes put the game on ice with a two-run homer to left field in the bottom of the eighth in providing the final 7-3 count.
Bisset went 2-for-4 with a walk while Kalousdian and Santisteban each also recorded a pair of hits to pace the Jaspers.
Senior RHP Scott McClennan (Highland Mills, N.Y. / Cornwall Central) fell to 4-7 on the year, striking out three and yielding five runs over 5.2 innings.
Charlton was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBi while Rampone went 3-for-5 with three RBI.
Sean Lubreski (4-4) earned the win with 5.0 innings of three-run ball while Tyler Kapp notched his seventh save with 1.2 hitless innings of relief.
