Fishkill, N.Y. (May 25, 2007)- Eric Nieto knotted the score at 2-2 with a two-run single, and Rene Ruiz plated what proved to be the winning run, all in the seventh, to propel #2 Manhattan to a 3-2 win over #3 Marist in an elimination game tonight at the MAAC Championships at Dutchess County Stadium. The Jaspers improve to 35-18 on the season, setting a new program record for wins in a season. The total is also the most by any Manhattan team in any sport in the 150+ year history of the institution.
Marist scored single runs in the second and fourth to take a 2-0 lead, and held the lead through six innings before lightning in the area caused the game to be delayed by two and a half hours.
The delay seemed to rejuvenate the Jaspers, as the Manhattan bats came alive in the bottom of the seventh. Dom Lombardi led off the inning by being hit by a pitch, and advanced to third on a single up the middle by Nunzio Franzese. After a stolen base and a groundout put runners on second and third, Eric Nieto placed the ball in short right field, scoring Lombardi and Franzese and tying the score at 2-2. After a strikeout, Ruiz doubled down the right field line to chase home Nieto with the go-ahead run.
The score remained 3-2 into the top of the ninth, as Marist put runners on first and second with two outs. At that point, the Red Fox batted singled up the middle, and center fielder Mike Garcia's throw to the plate beat the runner, and the umpire called the runner out for an overly aggressive slide, ending the game.
Tom Costigan (8-3) earned the win, working the first 8.1 innings (including sitting out the lightning delay), striking out six. Fellow rookie Brian Pendergast earned his fifth save of the season, recording the final two outs.
With the win, the Japers advance to the Championship Round, and must defeat top-seeded Le Moyne College twice on Saturday, May 26 to claim their second straight MAAC Tournament title. The first game is slated for 1:00 p.m. with the “if” game slated for 4:00 p.m.
