Box Score (PDF)
Wappingers Falls, NY – Sophomore
Matt Padre (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central) homered and drove in five runs to lead Manhattan to a 10-7 win over Siena in the series finale between the teams at Dutchess Stadium.
With the victory, the Jaspers sweep their second-straight conference series while improving to 14-21 and 7-2 in the MAAC as the Saints fall to 9-22 and 4-8 in the league.
Manhattan came roaring out of the gates in the bottom of the first, scoring seven runs on seven hits while sending 12 batters to the plate. Freshman
Sam Franco (Bardonia, NY / Clarkstown South) led off with a double, before scoring the first run on a
Shawn Blake (GS, Stratford, CT / Elon) single. Freshman
Nick Cimillo (Airmont, NY / Suffern) was then plunked and junior
Dominic Palma (Hilton, NY / Hilton) walked to load up the bases. Junior
Alex Cerda (Miami, FL / Florida Christian School) then worked a 10-pitch at-bat, before plating Blake with a RBI single to left field while forcing Siena to the bullpen.
Padred then greeted reliever RHP Avery Short with a towering grand slam, deep over the left field fence to extend the advantage out to 6-0. The Jaspers would add one more run in the frame as freshman
Jonathan Barditch (Miami, FL / Belen Jesuit Prep) was plunked with two outs, before moving to second on a wild pitch and come around on a Franco RBI single to cap the scoring.
Siena responded with two runs in the the second and five in the third to tie the game up at 7-7.
In the bottom of the fourth, Manhattan reclaimed the lead for good with three runs in registering an insurmountable 10-7 advantage. Cimillo singled with one out, before Palma drew his second walk of the afternoon and Cerda singled to load up the bases. Padre broke the deadlock with a RBI single and freshman
Keury Abreu (Bronx, NY / St. Raymond) followed with a two-run single to left field.
Back in the field, senior
Jacob Knight (Oakley, CA / Chabot CC) responded with a shutdown 1-2-3 frame to securely reclaim the momentum for the Jaspers.
Knight would exit after four strong innings of relief, giving way to the duo of junior RHP
Nick Massa (Shrewsbury, NJ / Red Bank Regional) and sophomore RHP
Teddy Sabato (Rye Brook, NY / UNC), who combined to blank Siena over the final three frames.
Knight (1-1) earned his first collegiate win, striking out five while yielding one run on two hits and two walks over 4.0 innings. Sabato closed out the series with a scoreless ninth in picking up his second save in as many weeks.
Cerda went 3-for-4 with a double and a RBI while Franco, Blake, Cimillo and Padre all had a pair of hits on the day as the Jaspers rapped out 13.
Siena also finished with 13 hits as four different Saints notched two.
Manhattan will host LIU Brooklyn on Tuesday, April 16 at 5:00 pm.
