Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. ? The Manhattan College baseball won its 16th straight contest at Van Cortlandt Park defeating Sacred Heart (12-18-1) 14-9 on Tuesday. Jaspers' junior starter Tom Costigan had his best outing of the campaign rolling through six innings, while recording a career-best 10 strikeouts en route to the non-conference triumph. Manhattan improves to 6-0 this season in Riverdale.
Manhattan (20-10) rallied behind Costigan who retired the first 13 batters and did not yield a walk before handing the ball over to the bullpen in the seventh. Along the ride, the Jaspers offense pushed out to an 8-1 advantage. Sophomore outfielder Mark Onorati got the club started when he drove in the first run of the ballgame in the top of the first with a single to center field. Onorati was 3-for-5 from the plate with four RBI.
The Jaspers scored six runs on seven hits and two errors over the fifth and sixth innings to force Pioneers' reliever James Ineson out of the contest. Sacred Heart started left hander Corey Corcoran who pitched three solid innings, allowing just three this and an earned run.
Sacred Heart worked three runs off of Manhattan reliever Mike Tibbetts in the seventh and two more off freshman Matt Troisi in the eighth to pull within 9-6. The Jaspers went to reliever Tom Moran to get the final out of the eighth inning to end the Pioneers' threat with the bases loaded and the go ahead run at the plate. Moran delivered by getting outfielder Rocco Gondek to ground out.
Manhattan erupted for five more runs in the bottom of the eighth to add an eight run cushion before entering the final frame. Junior outfielder Kevin Nieto and third baseman Chad Salem got the Jaspers' rally started. Nieto led off the inning with his 10th double of the season, and Salem followed with a deep homer over the left field wall. Pioneers' reliever MJ Schifano walked in designated hitter Anthony Armenio, and then Onorati delivered a two-RBI double down the left field line to cap the inning.
Nieto hit 4-for-5 on the day and scored three runs. Salem knocked in three RBI and scored two runs. Armenio and Mike McCann each tallied three hits.
Moran was able to shut the door on the Pioneers in the ninth, despite letting in three runs. It marked his fifth save of the season.
Manhattan continues its five game home stint on Wednesday versus Fairleigh Dickinson at 3:30 p.m.
