Box Score (GM 2) | Box Score (GM 1)
Fairfield, CT– No. 1 Fairfield swept a doubleheader from No. 8 Manhattan to clinch a quarterfinal victory in the first round of the 2021 MAAC Baseball Championship at Alumni Diamond.
The Stags (35-1) took the opener by a 2-1 count, before rallying for an 8-5 victory in the nightcap over the Jaspers (12-24).
Game Two
* Manhattan dropped a hard-fought 8-5 decision in the nightcap to Fairfield despite a valiant effort.
* The Jaspers opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the third inning.
* Freshman
Frankie Marinelli (Florham Park, NJ / Hanover Park) got things started with a one-out single, before junior
Sam Franco (Bardonia, NY / Clarkstown South) reached via an error.
* Senior
Matt Padre's (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central) was the beneficiary of the error, as he crushed a three-run homer to give the Green & White a 3-0 lead.
* In the bottom of the fifth inning, Marinelli made maybe the catch of the year to lead off the frame.
* Despite the catch, Fairfield would respond with five runs in opening up a 5-3 advantage.
* The Jaspers would battle back tie it up at 5-5 in the top of the seventh on an absolute laser off the bat of Franco.
* Unfortunately, the Stags would answer with three runs in the bottom of the eighth to provide the final 8-5 count.
* All nine regulars hit safely, with Marinelli registering two hits and his aforementioned incredible catch.
* Junior LHP
Jack Mahoney (Latham, NY / Stony Brook) was solid on the mound, striking out five while yielding five runs on eight hits over 6.0 innings.
* John Signore struck out three over 2.1 hitless innings of relief in earning the win for Fairfield.
Game One
* Graduate Student
Logan Muratalla (San Dimas, CA / Mt. San Antonio) struck out six in a complete-game effort, but it wasn't enough as Fairfield edged Manhattan by a 2-1 count.
* In the top of the ninth with the Jaspers trailing 2-0, junior
Jonathan Barditch (Miami, FL / Belen Jesuit) was plunked to lead off the frame, before freshman
Trevor Santos (Nutley, NJ / Nutley) drew a four-pitch walk.
* Relievers Eli Oliphant and Bryson Cafaro struck out each of the next two batters, before Franco hit an absolute missile to left field that missed clearing the fence by inches, plating Barditch and pushing Santos to third.
* Unfortunately, that would be as close as the Jaspers would get.
* Manhattan had an early opportunity to open the scoring as graduate student
Richie Barrella (Larchmont, NY / Canterbury Prep) led off the second with a triple, but was stranded at second as Santos' two-out line drive was corralled by the Mike Becchetti at second.
* Fairfield opened the scoring with a two-out RB single in the bottom part of the frame.
* The Jaspers would strand a pair of runners on the bases in each of their next two trips to the plate, before again posting a serious threat in the top of the sixth.
* Barrella led off with an infield single, before moving to second on
Jake Knop's (Sr., Portland, ME / Portland) sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on a Barditch bloop single. Unfortunately, Barrella would be thrown out on a failed double-steal attempt.
* After escaping further damage in the second inning, Muratalla surrendered just a pair of hits over the next four innings in keeping it a one-run game after six complete.
* Fairfield finally got to Muratalla with a Becchetti solo home run to left field.
* Muratalla would settle down, strand a runner at third and got four of the final six outs via the strikeout. He went the distance, allowing just two runs on seven hits and no walks over 8.0 innings.
* Franco was 2-for-3 with a double and a RBI, while Barrella was 2-for-3 with a triple.
* Michael Sansone improved to 8-0 for the Stags with the win, striking out eight over 8.0 innings of scoreless ball.
