RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Jaspers' offense didn't miss a stride coming off a seven day layoff as the Manhattan baseball team rolled to a 17-6 victory at Albany (6-28) on Wednesday. Juniors Chad Salem and Mike McCann went back-to-back with home runs capping Manhattan's (21-13) seven-run game breaking seventh inning. Jaspers' senior catcher Anthony Armenio also went yard for the sixth time this season and freshman starter John Soldinger pitched four shutdown innings allowing just one hit en route to his third victory of the year.
Salem, McCann and Austin Sheffield knocked in three runs apiece, while junior outfielder Mark Onorati carried his weight with a 3-for-4 day from the plate to improve his batting average to a MAAC best .415. The Jaspers accumulated 14 hits in the contest marking their ninth double-digit hit effort on the road this season.
After surrendering the first run of the game in the second inning on a wild pitch, the Jaspers used Salem's RBI double in the third frame to lock the contest at 1-1. Manhattan took its first lead in the top of the fifth inning adding four more runs on RBI singles from both McCann and Sheffield, and then a two run bomb from Armenio. McCann finished his day 3-for-6 scoring three runs, while Sheffield was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Albany worked two runs off Jaspers' freshman relief pitcher Mike Gonzalez in the bottom of the fifth to pull within 5-3. Onorati retaliated in the sixth inning with his 36th RBI of the season and senior outfielder Kevin Nieto scored his 33rd run of the year to regain a four run cushion.
Gonzalez finished the sixth inning on the hill yielding one run, before turning the ball over to Mike Giordano who threw a perfect seventh. Gonzalez struck out two batters in his two innings of work.
The Jaspers opened the floodgates in the top of the seventh putting up seven runs, which tied their second most scored in an inning this season. Freshmen Kyle Murphy and Nick Camastro got the frame started knocking in the first two. Soon after, Salem blasted his team-leading 12th home run of the year and McCann followed with his fifth dinger of the season. The scoring surge extended Manhattan's lead to double-digits (14-4).
Zac Goyer pitched the Jaspers through the eighth inning. In the ninth, McCann knocked in a run and Sheffield hit his 10th double of the season to put two more on the board. Senior right-hander Tom Moran tossed a scoreless ninth inning to wrap up the Jaspers 15th road victory.
Manhattan returns to Van Cortlandt Park this weekend when the Jaspers host Niagara. Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 12 p.m.