HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The floodgates opened during a 13-run top of the fifth inning, propelling Manhattan College to a 17-6 victory Saturday morning at University Field. The Jaspers (5-12) strung together 12 hits, including two home runs, and took 13 walks on their way to a season-high 17 runs to even the weekend series against Hofstra (6-10).
"It's good to see the team come around," said head coach
Dave Miller. "The offense finally exploded after another quality start from
Michael Staiano. We need to keep the momentum rolling and come out tomorrow and win a series.
The Jaspers, who snapped an eight-game skid, sent 17 batters to the plate in the fifth inning and scored 13 runs to break the game open despite just five hits in the frame. Manhattan essentially took advantage of Hofstra miscues as four Pride pitchers issued six walks and the home team committed two errors, including a crucial one that ignited the big inning.
After Steven Kaenzig (0-4) walked the first two batters of the inning, Manhattan loaded the bases on a
Frankie Marinelli single. Hofstra reliever Russell Hunter struck out the next batter for the first out before surrendering a wild pitch to score
Daniel Perez to make it a 3-1 Jasper lead.
The Hofstra wheels really came off from there as Hunter nearly recorded the second out on a strikeout, but
Drew Wyers reached base on an error by Sean Lane on the throw to complete the out. The error instead loaded the bases once again which preceded two walks and a hit by pitch to keep the lineup moving.
A
JD Stemhagen fielder's choice on Hofstra's second error of the inning resulted in two more Jasper runs before Perez, who started the inning with a walk, extended Manhattan's lead to 9-1 with an RBI single.
Josiah Brown's first career home run – a three-run shot to the opposite field in right – was thought to be the punctuation to the inning, but Manhattan wasn't done. With two outs,
Logan Pfannenbecker singled and both Wyers and
Vincent Davis walked, setting up
Dylan Mayer's bases-clearing three-run double to cap the frame with the Jaspers leading 15-1.
Brown reached base in all five of his plate appearances, going 2-for-2 with three walks and two runs scored in addition to his homer. Perez had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 and was one of three Jaspers, along with Wyers and Davis, to score three runs. Pfannenbecker also tallied two hits for the second straight game and Mayer drove in a career-best four runs.
On the bump, Manhattan received a solid effort from
Michael Staiano (2-0), who made his second straight start after opening the season in the bullpen. In the longest outing of his freshman season, Staiano tossed five innings, striking out a career-high nine—the most strikeouts by a Manhattan pitcher this season. Staiano scattered six hits and allowed three runs while not issuing a walk.
Staiano passed the baton twice to Manhattan's lineup, leading to scoring frames in the fourth and fifth. Trailing 1-0, Staiano allowed a pair of two-out singles in the bottom of the third but managed to get out unscathed by striking out Luke Masiuk, who opened the scoring with an RBI double in the first inning looking.
That led to Manhattan's first two runs of the game – and its first lead of the series – in the top of the fourth inning. Following a Wyers double, Davis clubbed his team-leading second homer of the season to right center to give the Jaspers a 2-1 lead.
Staiano returned to the hill and pitched a shutout inning, retiring the Pride in order, including a pair of strikeouts, before Manhattan's 13-run fifth.
"The long first month road trip is now over and we get to play in our backyard for some time," said Miller. "Excited to see what these guys can do from here on out."
In relief of Staiano,
Brant Vicini,
Tyler Babel, and
Carter Cowburn combined to allow three runs on three hits in four innings, completing the Manhattan victory.
The Jaspers will try to win their second series of the season on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m., and fans can follow along via live stats or streaming at
gohofstra.com.
