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Wappingers Falls, NY - Manhattan clinched a MAAC Tournament berth with a 9-1 win over Iona in the series opener at Dutchess Stadium coupled with some favorable results from around the league.
The 2016 MAAC Baseball Championships will begain on Wednesday, May 25 at Dutchess Stadium.
Fueled by five multi-hit performers, the Jaspers improved to 21-28 and 12-10 in the MAAC with their sixth win in seven games while the Gaels fall to 10-38 and 4-18 in the league.
Iona opened the scoring with a two-out score in the top of the second as Jon Budesa's single through the left side plated Vinny DeMaria.
Manhattan immediately responded with a pair of runs in the bottom part of the frame. Freshman Richie Barrella (Larchmont, NY / Canterbury Prep) led off with an infield single before moving to second on Michael Pfenninger's (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central) bunt single. Junior Jason Patnick (Hopewell, NJ / IMG Academy (FL)) then battled back from a two-strike count to load up the bases with no outs. Freshman Anthony Rocchietti (Green Brook, NJ / Watchung Hills) followed with a two-run single through the left side on the first pitch he saw to plate Barrella and Pfenninger while giving the Jaspers a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Manhattan broke the game open with four two-out runs while batting around. Junior Jose Carrera (Miami, FL / St. Brendan) delivered a two-strike infield single to score Pfenninger before Santisteban walked with the bases loaded to force in Adam Genners (So., Jacksonville, FL / Stanton College Prep). Freshman Fabian Pena (Miami, FL / Calusa Prep) capped the scoring with a two-run single to left field, bringing around senior Chris Reynolds (Wall, NJ / St. Rose) and Carrera while pushing the advantage out to 6-1.
The Jaspers added to the lead with one run in the sixth as Reynolds crushed a one-out double off the left field wall before Carrera followed with a run-scoring double in extending the lead to 7-1.
Manhattan capped the scoring in the eighth when Santisteban plated Carrera and Reynolds with a two-run double while providing the final 9-1 count.
Carrera finished up 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs to pace a 13-hit attack while Santisteban was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Reynolds rounded out the top performers, going 2-for-3 with a double and three runs.
Junior LHP Tom Cosgrove improved to 4-5 on the year, yielding just one run on four hits with six strikeouts over 6.0 solid innings of work.
Senior RHP Michael Scarinci (Pearl River, NY / Nanuet) fired 2.0 scoreless innings while freshman RHP Marc Galvan (Manasquan, NJ / Manasquan) recorded a perfect inning to close out the game.
Travis Mistretta and Carmine Palummo each had two hits to highlight the Gael attack.
The teams will conclude the regular season tomorrow with a 12:00 pm doubleheader.
