Manhattan University Athletics

Box Score - Game One 

Box Score - Game Two 

RIVERDALE, N.Y. ? For the seventh consecutive year Manhattan has secured its spot in the MAAC Baseball Championships, clinching its fate on Sunday with a doubleheader split versus Rider (22-21, 11-10 MAAC) at Van Corltandt Park. Despite falling 3-0 in game one, Manhattan (32-15, 16-5 MAAC) battled to send the seniors off with a victory in their final home game, as it picked up a 6-5 win in the nightcap. Prior to the doubleheader, four year letterwinners Ruben Perez, Ryan Masters, Mike Gazzola and Mark Russell were honored for their contributions to the baseball program in a pregame ceremony.

Broncs' sophomore lefty Mike Thomas pitched a gem in game one as he tossed a complete game shutout, while striking out nine along the way. Manhattan freshman starter Mike Giordano also delivered a solid performance, but did not receive the run support needed to earn his seventh win of the year. Giordano finished the first complete game of his career, recorded three strikeouts and yielded just one walk.

Rider used a solo home run from senior catcher Sean Olson in the first inning to jump out to the early advantage, and then added its next two runs in the fifth and sixth innings being driven in by center fielder Brandon Cotten and designated hitter Steve Galella. Broncs' second baseman A.J. Albee was the only player to record a multi-hit game as he went 2-for-3 from the plate. The Jaspers accumulated just four hits in the contest.

In game two, Manhattan junior Tom Costigan pitched seven and one third strong innings leading to his sixth win of the season, while classmate Tom Moran recorded the final five outs to earn his sixth save of the year. Senior infielders Masters and Perez teamed up to score the game winning run in the bottom of the eighth on a suicide squeeze. Masters laid down the bunt up the third base line and Perez charged across the plate for the decisive run.

The Jaspers jumped out to a two run lead by the end of the first inning as Mike McCann and Mark Onorati each scored with the RBIs coming from Anthony Armenio and Perez. In the third, McCann scored again on an error which gave Manhattan a 3-0 lead. The sophomore outfielder registered four of the Jaspers six runs on the afternoon, went 2-for-3 from the plate and walked twice.

Rider scored its first two runs in the fifth inning, beginning with a RBI double from Cotten, and then on an infield groundball from senior James Hayes, which allowed shortstop John Ralston to come in from third. Hayes had two hits in the ballgame.

McCann built the Jaspers lead up to 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer which ricocheted off the left field scoreboard. It marked his 12^th home run of the campaign. Rider third baseman Mason Heyne answered with a blast of his own in the sixth, a two-run shot which sailed out of left field and tied the game at 4-4.

Manhattan broke the tie in the seventh with Onorati's RBI single to take a lead it would not relinquish. McCann scored from second after doubling on a hard hit ball laced up the middle in the previous at bat.

Rider made some noise in the ninth as it entered the inning facing a two run deficit.  Galella led off the final frame with a solo home run to cut the Jaspers' advantage to 6-5 with no outs. Then after Albee reached base being hit by a pitch, and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, Cotten stepped to the plate representing the potential go-ahead run with just one out. But it was Jaspers' sophomore first baseman Austin Sheffield whose golden glove diving play robbed Cotten of a base hit and helped the Jaspers' hang on for the win.

Manhattan concludes the regular-season at Iona next weekend. The Jaspers begin the three game set with a single game on Friday at 3:30 p.m.