Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Manhattan baseball team could not hang on to its three run lead after four and a half innings as High Point (9-7) rallied back to take a 11-6 victory on Friday at Williard Stadium in North Carolina. The Panthers worked Manhattan starting pitcher John Soldinger, the reigning MAAC Pitcher of the Week, for six earned runs to win the first contest of the three game weekend tilt.
High Point's offense was led by freshman catcher Spencer Angelis who went 3-for-4 from the plate with five RBI and he launched his first home run. The Panthers relied on freshman Joe Goodman who pitched five innings out of the bullpen and posted six strikeouts to earn his second win of the season. Jaspers' reliever Dan Feinberg was tagged with the loss in a brief relief stint.
Manhattan (1-9) generated the first run of the ballgame in the second inning after a lead off single by junior first baseman Kyle Murphy. After sophomore second baseman Yoandry Galan's singled, Murphy came across the plate on a fielding error. Murphy and Galan each tallied two hits in the contest.
The Panthers scored a run in both the second and third innings to take its first lead of the game. High Point designated hitter Scott Glover evened the contest at one in the second inning with a RBI single to left center, and then in the third inning shortstop Willie Medina sent the Panthers on top 2-1 with a RBI.
Murphy sparked a four run scoring spree for the Jaspers in the fourth inning with another big lead off hit. He delivered his fourth double of the year and then score with back-to-back singles from senior designated hitter Matt Troisi and Galan. Jaspers' sophomore Andrew Gorecki added the fourth straight hit with an RBI double and freshman Aidan O'Leary knocked home the fourth run of the frame to give Manhattan a 5-2 edge.
High Point answered back in the bottom of the fourth inning with four runs of their own, a surge that featured Angelis' three-run homer. The Jaspers tied the contest at 6-6 in the sixth inning when sophomore Chris Kalousdian scored the equalizer after reaching base earlier in the inning on a fielding error.
Feinberg took the ball from Soldinger in the seventh inning, but ran into trouble immediately. He walked two of three batters he faced before the Jaspers quickly turned to freshman reliever Michael Scarinci who inherited runners on first and third. Panthers' freshman Ryne Rush singled in the first of four runs in the inning, then Glover had an RBI double and Angelis singled in two more runs to give High Point a 10-6 advantage. High Point added on one more run in the eighth with Devin Bujnovsky's RBI single.
Gorecki joined Murphy and Galan with two hits to lead Manhattan and he generated two walks.
Manhattan and High Point will play the second game of the series on Saturday at 2 p.m.