Box Score
FISHKILL, N.Y. - The Manhattan baseball team kept its MAAC Championship hopes alive with another ninth inning rally as the Jaspers scored three runs to eliminate Marist (33-22) in a comeback victory, 6-5, on Thursday at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, N.Y. Clutch home runs from Mark Onorati and Kevin Nieto tied the game at 5-5, and then a pinch hit sacrifice fly off the bat of Ramon Ortega gave the Jaspers the game winning run. Sophomore reliever Mike Giordano struck out the final batter in the bottom of the ninth, stranding the tying run on third base to secure his sixth victory of the year.
Manhattan (31-19) is traveling through the elimination bracket after falling to Canisius (7-5) in the tournament opener on Wednesday. The Jaspers look to ward off elimination again when they play top seeded Canisius on Friday at 3 p.m.
After a 49 minute weather delay, the Jaspers took advantage of Marist closer Sean McKeown in the final frame. Onorati led off the inning by smashing his sixth home run of the year to make it a one run game. Two batters later, Nieto made the Red Foxes pay again with one swing of the bat crushing a solo home run deep over the left field fence. Chad Salem kept the inning alive with a single, Anthony Armenio walked and Austin Sheffield singled to load the bases and set the stage for Ortega's sac fly.
Giordano, a sophomore from Bedford, N.Y., showed his poise in the bottom of the ninth inning. After allowing a lead off walk to Jon Schwind, Giordano nullified a sacrifice bunt by tracking the ball down on the edge of the grass between first and second, and then he threw out Schwind at second base. Another walk and sacrifice fly moved the potential tying run to third base with two outs on the board and designated hitter Ryan Gauck coming to the plate. Giordano over powered Gauck for the first two strikes and he got him swinging on a breaking ball in three pitch strikeout for the game.
Giordano pitched two hitless innings and struck out three batters in relief for freshman starter John Soldinger. Soldinger battled through seven innings and had three strikeouts before his first postseason outing came to an end due to the rain delay. Marist starter B.J. Martin worked through eight innings and threw 130 pitches, before handing a two run lead over to McKeown.
Marist took the first lead of the game in the second inning when Red Foxes' second baseman John Prano delivered single to center field with the bases loaded. Shortstop Rich Curylo put Marist up 2-0 with a sacrifice fly.
The Jaspers responded posting three runs in the top of the third inning. Sheffield punched a two run single down he right field line, and then freshman Anthony Vega gave Manhattan its first lead (3-2) with a one out bunt single, allowing Armenio to come in from third.
Manhattan nearly took a two run lead in the fourth inning, but Nieto was called out at the plate in an attempt to steal home. Nieto, the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year, led the Jaspers offense going 3-for-5 with two runs scored. The Jaspers also received two hits apiece from Onorati, Sheffield and Vega.
The Red Foxes evened the game in the bottom of the fifth, and then added two more runs to go up 5-3. Right fielder Mike Gallic tied the game at 3-3 with a RBI double to left field. Gauck drove in Marist's go ahead runs with a single that got under the glove of Sheffield in his diving attempt at first base.
The bottom of the fifth inning also featured one of the top defensive plays of the tournament. Jaspers' second baseman Kyle Murphy made a diving stop to his right and jumped up to throw out Ricky Pacione by a step at first base.
Manhattan needed another superb defensive play by Nieto in the bottom of the seventh to prevent a Red Foxes' run. Marist catcher Bryce Nugent tried taking home on third baseman Zach Shank's single to center field. Nieto fielded the ball clean on the hop, he gunned down Nugent at the plate and Jaspers' catcher Armenio applied the tag.
Nieto's three hit performance increased Manhattan's career hits record to 254. Onorati extended his season-high hits mark to 78.
The winner of the Manhattan and Canisius game will advance to the championship round, which begins on Friday at 7 p.m.
