GAME 2 BOXSCORE
New York, NY (April 27, 2005)- Manhattan split a double header at Columbia, falling 5-1 in the opening game before posting a 7-6 win in the nightcap this afternoon at Andy Coakley Field. The Jaspers improve to 17-12 on the season.
In the opener, Columbia scored twice in the second and three more times in the third to take 5-0 lead, all the runs the Lions would need.
The Jaspers pushed across a run in the top of the fourth, when Manhattan posted back-to-back doubles by Matt Rizzotti and Nunzio Franzese to provide the final margin.
Matt Nevins went the distance for the Jaspers, allowing just one earned run while striking out nine.
In the second game, Manhattan broke the ice first, when Gary Diaz drove home Eric Nieto in the top of the third, giving Manhattan its first lead of the afternoon.
The lead was short lived, as Columbia scored twice in the bottom of the frame, taking a 2-1 lead.
In this game, however, the Jasper bats would come alive, pushing across four runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead for good. Consecutive RBI singles from John Maser and Eric Nieto, an RBI sacrifice fly from Dom Lombardi, and a passed ball gave Manhattan a 5-2 lead.
Columbia would answer in the bottom of the inning, as two RBI singles brought the Lions to within one, 5-4 after four innings.
The Jaspers would add what proved to be important insurance runs in the later innings, as Nick Derba and Diaz connected on solo homers in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, to open up a 7-4 advantage going into the bottom of the seventh.
In the seventh, Columbia scored twice to pull within one, and had the tying run on second with one out, but Kyle Wirtz got a strikeout and a fly out to end the threat and the game.
Manhattan plays again Thursday, April 28, when the Jaspers host Connecticut at Van Cortlandt Park. The first pitch is slated for 4:00 p.m.
