Jaspers Ward Off Canisius in 7-6 Victory - Manhattan University Athletics

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Manhattan Jaspers baseball team held off a ninth-inning rally by the Canisius Lions to secure a 7-6 series-opening win Thursday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex.

The Jaspers improve to 8-16 overall and 2-2 in MAAC play with today's win, while today marked the Golden Griffins first conference bout of the season, giving them an 0-1 start and falling 6-14 overall.

Leading 7-3 in the final frame, Griffins' JC Spinosa lined a single straight up middle before advancing to the corner on back-to-back walks that loaded the bases. With the tying run at the plate, closer Greg Shaw struck out Jackson Strong, followed by a fielder's choice to hold off Spinosa coming across the plate. With the threat still imposing, Shaw issued a walk to tick one in favor of Canisius and a ground-rule double brought the foe within one before he closed out the threat, catching Thomas Zwirecki looking to record his third strikeout of the day.

Shaw tossed two innings of relief and was credited with the save, allowing three runs on three hits, with three walks to add to the trios of strikeouts. Connor O'Neill impressed with a six and a third start, his longest of the season, allowing just one run on four hits with a pair of walks and four strikeouts, owning the win. John Kwiatkowski completed the relief effort, tossing two thirds, allowing two hits, a set of homers in the bottom of the seventh, and recording a strikeout.

"Big W today for the boys. We had a short week, so having Connor O'Neill go 6.1 scoreless was huge. He pitched a gem and that win was his," said head coach Dave Miller.

Manhattan put its first pair on the board with a two-run homerun from Dylan Mayer in the top of the fourth. This marks the freshman's second of the season and his first knock in three games. Mayer finished the day 3-for-3 with 2 RBI and three runs scored to head the Jaspers' offense.

The Green and White added three in the seventh with back-to-back singles and a 2RBI double blasted by Logan Pfannenbecker. Another pair crossed in the eighth on four hits, highlighted by Vincent Davis' inning-opening homer, the freshman's second of the season.

"Seeing the young freshman hitters step up today was great to see. Now we got to go win a series," added Miller.

MAAC play continues tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. and the Jaspers close out the series Saturday at noon.