Box Score (PDF)
Wappingers Falls, NY - UAlbany defeated Manhattan 5-2 in the series opener between the teams at Dutchess Stadium.
The Jaspers threatened in the ninth, but left the bases loaded in dropping to 4-15 on the year while the Great Danes improve to 6-9.
After being held hitless for the first four innings, sophomore
Matt Padre (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central) blooped a wind-aided, one-out double to center field, before moving to third on graduate student
Cam Crabbe's (White Plains, NY / USF) two-out, infield single. Unfortunately, the pair would be left stranded in keeping the game scoreless.
UAlbany broke through first with a pair of runs in the sixth inning, on a Marc Wangenstein RBI triple and a Patrick Lagravinese run-scoring single.
Manhattan immediately countered with a run in the bottom part of the frame. Freshman
Jonathan Barditch (Miami, FL / Belen Jesuit Prep) led off with a walk, before moving to third on
Shawn Blake's (GS, Stratford, CT / Elon) double down the right field line. Freshman
Nick Cimillo (Airmont, NY / Suffern) followed with a sacrifice fly to center to plate Barditch while trimming the deficit to 2-1.
The Great Danes got the run back in the top of the seventh on a Josh Loeffler's two-out RBI single, only to see the Jaspers answer in the bottom part of the frame when freshman
Matt Alfonso (Miami, FL / Christopher Columbus) delivered a RBI single of his own.
One inning later, Manhattan threatened to tie it up but was denied when Blake was left stranded in scoring position.
UAlbany added to the lead with two runs in the ninth to provide the final 5-2 count.
Blake was 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base while Barditch singled, walked and scored a run to pace a seven-hit Jasper attack.
Lagravinese and Wangenstein each went 3-for-5 to lead the way for the visitors, which rapped out 12 hits.
Graduate student LHP
John Cain (Middletown, NY / Lafayette) was the tough-luck losing pitcher, striking out four, against no walks, over 7.0 innings while yielding just two earned runs.
RHP John Clayton earned the win for UAlbany, striking out five while scattering two runs on five hits over 7.0 innings. RHP John Kruszka tossed 2.0 shutout frames in notching his second save of the year.
The teams will conclude their series tomorrow at 12:00 pm with a doubleheader.
