Box Score
TRENTON, N.J. ? The Manhattan College baseball team dropped its second contest of the 2008 MAAC Championships falling to top-seeded Canisius (41-12) 16-7 this afternoon at Waterfront Park in Trenton, N.J. Despite four home runs and 12 hits, the Jaspers couldn't rally back from an early nine run deficit resulting in a premature exit from the conference's double elimination tournament.
Manhattan (31-20-1) fell behind 6-0 by the end of the first inning, and trailed throughout the ballgame. Canisius centerfielder Branson Joseph drove in the first runs of the contest on a home run that sailed just beyond the right field wall.
In the third, Joseph cracked a two RBI double into the left-center gap, and then scored on a wild pitch extending the Golden Griffins advantage to 9-0.
Manhattan hit for the cycle in the fourth inning, sparking a comeback bid. Junior second baseman Ruben Perez launched a solo home run over the centerfield fence to get the Jaspers on the scoreboard.
Ryan Masters bounced a RBI double off the left-center field wall to score the designated hitter Marc Giordano. Giordano doubled down the right field line earlier in the inning.
Eric Nieto followed with a RBI triple to earn sole possession of second place on the program's career triples chart (8). He surpassed Matt Cucurullo '04 on the all-time list.
Freshman left fielder Mark Onorati completed the cycle with a RBI single up the middle. Manhattan pulled within 9-4 by the middle of the fourth. Onorati also made a brilliant diving catch to get the Jaspers out of a jam in the bottom of the sixth.
Chad Salem, Kevin Nieto and Dom Lombardi each blasted solo home runs in the late innings of the ballgame, but it proved to be too little too late. Canisius would rally for seven more runs of its own to secure the 16-7 victory.
Joseph and Alex Cabello each tallied four RBIs for the Golden Griffins, while catcher Kevin Reimer added three.
Onorati, Salem, Perez and Giordano each posted two hits on the afternoon.
Sophomore left-hander Mike Gazzola was credit with the loss in his first postseason start. Gazzola allowed eight earned runs and posted four strikeouts. Tom Moran led all Jasper pitchers yielding just four hits and one earned run over the final three innings of the contest.
The loss brings the Jaspers season to an end finishing the year with a 31-20-1 overall record. It marked the third consecutive 30-win season for the program. Manhattan also earned a share of its first MAAC Regular-Season championship.
