BROOKVILLE, NY — The bats came to play Tuesday afternoon at LIU Baseball Stadium, with Manhattan edging Long Island University (18-17, 12-3 NEC) by a final score of 18-16 in 10 innings. Clutch hits from Aidan Taclas, Andreaus Lewis and Hunter Sute in the tenth redeemed the Jaspers after blowing an 11-run lead.
HOW IT HAPPENED
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Manhattan couldn't have dreamed of a better start, tacking on 10 runs in the first inning to take a double-digit lead.
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14 batters came to the plate for the Jaspers in the opening frame. Designated Hitter Andreaus Lewis was responsible for driving in five runs on a two-run double and a three-run single in the inning.
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Ryan Lordier, Trevor Hansen and Aidan Katzman each recorded RBI singles in the top of the first while Guriyandel Salva helped set the table with two singles and two runs scored.
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In his second at-bat of the game in the second inning, Katzman added further trouble for LIU with a two-run single that scored Dylan Mayer and Tyler Galletti.
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LIU would do quick damage, too, clawing back to within 12-6 after a three-run homer from Tyler Benick.
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Then, a two-run double from LIU's Jacob Piperic cut the Jaspers lead to 12-8 with three in the books.
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Manhattan appeared to be back in the driver's seat after a two-run home run from Aidan Taclas that made the score 14-8 in the fourth.
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However, LIU still wouldn't go away. The Sharks would load the bases in the fifth before Arnav Ghiuliani hit Jack Power which scored LIU's ninth run.
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LIU would manufacture three more runs on four hits before the Jaspers would end the fifth with an inning-ending double play off the bat of Jack Ryan. The Jaspers took a 14-12 lead to the sixth.
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A sac fly from LIU's Ryan Rivera tied the score at 14 in the bottom of the sixth, further thickening the plot.
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Manhattan would get one more back in the seventh off an error at the hot corner, regaining a lead for the Jaspers at 15-14.
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In the bottom of the seventh, LIU would take its first lead of the game at 16-15 on an RBI single from Jacob Pipercic.
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With the runners on second and third in the top of the eighth, Manhattan brought home the game-tying run when Salva scored on a wild pitch from Christian Yoo.
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With the score tied at 16 in the bottom of the eighth, Max Samson drove an 0-1 offering from Joey Craska deep to right field which was caught by a leaping Taclas to rob LIU of the go-ahead home run.
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Taclas continued to play the role of hero as his double in the tenth scored Salva from first. Junior Hunter Sute would drive Taclas home from second on an RBI single, giving the Jaspers an insurance run and an 18-16 lead.
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Craska worked a 1-2-3 inning on the mound in the tenth to pick up the win.
STATS AND NOTES
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Andreaus Lewis delivered all five of his RBIs in the first inning, and Aidan Katzman knocked home all three of his runs across the opening two innings.
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Taclas' home run in the eighth was his second robbery of the season after he denied Stony Brook's Brett Davino of a grand slam to open the month
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Taclas finished his day with three RBIs, including the RBI double that put the Jaspers ahead for good in the tenth.
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The Jaspers' 18 runs was its most runs in a game since losing 21-20 at Albany on April 27, 2022. Earlier that season, Manhattan registered 22 runs in a win at Saint Peter's.
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Graduate transfer Joey Craska picked up the first win of his career after pitching 3.2 innings with an unearned run allowed. Craska retired two LIU batters via strikeout.
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Manhattan is 6-10 in non conference games.
QUOTES FROM MANHATTAN
Manhattan interim head coach Steven Rosen's thoughts on the thrilling win: "One of those college baseball games that's just a lot of fun to be a part of. We had 37 quality at-bats, and you can tell the boys made a real commitment to be disciplined in their approach and it showed.
Rosen on Joey Craska's performance: "I am proud of our captain picking up his first collegiate win. Joey is an elite worker and he's so deserving of the success he is having with the Jaspers."
NEXT UP
Manhattan (12-21, 6-11 MAAC) will trek up with Western New York to battle Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference foe Niagara (10-20, 5-10 MAAC) for three games from Thursday to Saturday. First pitch on Thursday is 3 pm.
Follow Manhattan Baseball on Instagram (@jaspersbaseball) and X (@JaspersBaseball).