Manhattan University Athletics

Jersey City, N.J. (May 19, 2007)- In the regular season finale for both teams, Manhattan and Saint Peter's split a MAAC double header.  The Peacocks won game one, 2-1, but the Jaspers rebounded for a 6-4 win in the nightcap.  Manhattan ends the regular season with a 33-17 overall record, 20-5 in MAAC play, both regular season program bests.  Saint Peter's ends its season with a 23-29 overall record, 13-13 in MAAC play.

In the second game, the Peacocks scored twice in the bottom of the fourth and took that lead into the top of the sixth before the Manhattan bats began to come alive, as Eric Nieto scored Ruben Perez with an RBI groundout.  Saint Peter's regained the two-run advantage with a run in the bottom of the frame.

The Jaspers took the lead with a three run seventh.  Matt Rizzotti led off the inning with a home run, and Marc Giordano singled home Perez and Kevin Nieto to give Manhattan a 4-3 lead.

The Peacocks threatened in the bottom of the frame, drawing even with a bases loaded walk, but Jasper starter Tom Costigan induced a double play to escape further damage.

In the top of the ninth with the score still knotted at 4-4, Manhattan put together the winning rally.

Perez led off the inning with a single, and pinch runner Erik Lucas advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Ryan Masters.  After a Giordano walk, Eric Nieto doubled home Lucas before Mike Garcia plated Giordano with a sacrifice fly.

Costigan picked up his seventh win of the season, and Brian Pendergast worked a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.

In the opener, Saint Peter's plated a run in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly, and maintained the lead into the fourth inning, until Perez chased home Rizzotti with an RBI double to tie the score at 1-1.

The Peacocks regained the lead on a solo home run in the bottom of the frame, and kept the Jaspers at bay the rest of the game to earn the victory.

Manhattan gets back in action on Thursday, May 24, when the #2 seeded Jaspers take on the #3 seeded Marist College Red Foxes in the MAAC Tournament at Dutchess County Stadium in Fishkill, N.Y.