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Stony Brook, NY - Trailing by nine runs midway through the game, Manhattan fought back to tie it up in the ninth before dropping a hard-fought 11-10 decision to Stony Brook at Joe Nathan Field.
The Jaspers rapped out 14 hits, fueled five multi-hit performers, in falling to 3-12 while the Seawolves improve to 6-12.
Senior Jason Patnick paced Manhattan on offense, going 2-for-3 with two walks, two, doubles and three runs. Classmate Evan Brown (Ashburnham, MA / Bridgton Academy) (ME)) was 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs. Junior Brendan Bisset (New City, NY / Don Bosco Prep (NJ)), sophomore Fabian Pena (Miami, FL / Calusa Prep) and freshman Dominic Palma (Hilton, NY / Hilton) each also notched two hits while sophomore Anthony Rocchietti (Green Brook, NJ / Watchung Hills) had a triple and three RBI to round the top performers on offense.
Stony Brook jumped out to the early 6-0 lead before the Jaspers struck for a run in the fourth as Patnick doubled with one out before coming in to score on an Alex Cerda (Fr., Miami, FL / Florida Christian School) RBI fielder's choice.
After the Seawolves added to the lead with two runs in the bottom of the frame and two more in the fifth, the Jaspers started to make their comeback in the sixth. Junior Michael Pfenninger (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central) and Patnick led off with walks before later coming around to score on Rocchietti's two-run, two-out triple to make it a 10-3 game.
Manhattan then batted around in scoring five runs, including four with two outs, in the eighth. Rocchietti collected his third RBI of the day on a ground out before Bisset delivered a RBI single. Pena followed with a walk and Brown laced a two-run double down the first-base line. Senior Matt Forlow (Cold Spring, NY / Haldane) then smashed a RBI-single to trim the deficit to 10-8.
The Jaspers then came all the way back to tie up at 10-10 in the ninth inning with a big two-out rally. Sophomore Richie Barrella (Larchmont, NY / Canterbury Prep) legged out an infield single before moving to second when Stony Brook dropped an easy pop up to keep the visitors' rally alive. After a wild pitch moved the runners to second-and-third, Bisset hit a game-tying triple down the left field line to cap Manhattan's nine-run comeback.
Stony Brook rallied for the walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth as Casey Baker stole home on a controversial play. The Seawolves called a suicide squeeze while the Jaspers pitched out. Pena then got Baker in a rundown before the runner evaded the attempted tag in swiping home.
Sophomore RHP Marc Galvan (Brielle, NJ / Manasquan) paced the pitching unit with 2.0 scoreless innings.
Nick Grande was 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs and two RBI to lead Stony Brook.
Manhattan returns to action at NYIT on Wednesday, March 22 at 3:30 pm.
