RIVERDALE, N.Y. ? Senior outfielder Eric Nieto and junior Ruben Perez led the offensive charge as the Manhattan College baseball team coasted to an 18-10 victory over Virginia Commonwealth University (3-12) this afternoon in Richmond, Va. The duo accounted for four RBIs and three hits apiece helping the Jaspers to their fourth win of the season. Manhattan (4-8-1) posted a season-high 20 hits in the non-conference matchup.
The Jaspers exploded for a seven run second inning to break open a scoreless contest. Senior Dom Lombardi walked in the lead off spot to get the inning started. Freshmen Austin Sheffield followed with a single, before Anthony Armenio also notched a single to score Lombardi marking the first run of the ballgame.
Perez connected on a RBI double, then Eric Nieto blasted a two run RBI triple to right center sending Luis Llerena across the plate along with Perez. Llerena went 2-for-6 on the day and managed an RBI.
Mark Onorati, a freshman left fielder, joined in the scoring jamboree when he connected on an RBI double down the left field line which sent Eric Nieto to score. He went 3-for-5 from the plate and knocked in two RBIs.
Onorati later capped off the second inning surge by scoring on a wild pitch.
The Rams worked their way back into the contest posting three runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings to cut the Manhattan lead to 7-6. VCU shortstop Chris Jackson got the Rams rolling with a double to right center moving Jared Bolden into scoring position. Jackson led VCU going 3-for-5 on the afternoon and scoring two runs.
Bolden, Jackson and Kwan Evans crossed the plate in the fourth.
In the bottom of the fifth, R.J. Schenk doubled to start off the inning, while Evans wrapped it up with a two-run homer over the left field wall. Schenk was 2-for-3 with two runs.
Despite the comeback effort, this proved to be as close as the Rams would get as Manhattan erupted for 11 runs over the final three innings to secure its fourth road win of the season.
The Jaspers six run eighth inning proved to be the highlight of the late scoring surge. Senior Marc Giordano posted a pinch hit single to right field which resulted in two RBIs. Perez followed with his second double of the day to also knock in a pair of runners.
Eric Nieto added his second triple of the game soon thereafter to put another run on the scoreboard. Finally, Onorati capped the inning off with a double to left center marking his third of the contest. Eric Nieto scored on the hit.
Manhattan starting right-hander Matt Nevins allowed just one run, two hits and notched three strikeouts over three innings of work. Joe Culen was credited with the win in relief.
Lombardi, Sheffield and Armenio each finished with two hits. Armenio and Giordano also added three RBIs to the effort.
With the victory the Jaspers improve to 4-8-1 on the season. Manhattan returns to action tomorrow at 1 p.m. for its final game of the series at VCU.
