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WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. - Senior RHP Scott McClennan (Highland Mills, N.Y. / Cornwall Central) allowed two earned runs with seven strikeouts over 7.0 innings in leading Manhattan to a 10-7 win over Rider in the teams' series finale at Dutchess Stadium.
The Jaspers also scored six two-out runs in moving to 15-30 and 8-13 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) while the Broncs fall to 23-81 and 11-4 in the league.
After McClennan worked out a jam in the top of the second, Manhattan opened the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the frame.
Junior Christian Santisteban (Miami, Fla. / Gulliver Prep) crushed the first of his two doubles on the day to left center on the first pitch he saw before taking third on an errant pick-off attempt. Senior Joe McClennan (Highland Mills, N.Y. / Cornwall Central) was then plunked before advancing to second on a while pitch with Santisteban coming around to score on the play. Sophomore Jason Patnick (Hopewell, N.J. / IMG Academy (Fla.)) then battled back from a two-strike count to draw a walk before he and McClennan moved to second-and-third on another wild pitch. Senior Vin Teixeira (Hamden, Conn. / Hamden Hall Country Day) followed with a sharp single to left field to score McClennan before Patnick scored one play later on a double play to cap the scoring.
Now pitching with the lead, McClennan made quick work of Rider in the top of the third before the Jaspers added another run in the bottom part of the frame. Freshman Brendan Bisset (New City, N.Y. / Don Bosco Prep (N.J.)) led off with a single before moving to second on senior Chris Kalousdian's (Fort Salonga, N.Y. / Kings Park) one-out single. Bisset then scored on a bizarre play as he broke for third on a double steal before the pitch was thrown. On the pickoff attempt, the ball sailed wide of third, allowing Bisset to score.
Justin Thomas opened the fourth by putting Rider on the board with a home run while trimming the deficit to 4-1.
Undaunted, Manhattan responded with a big two-out rally in the bottom part of the frame. Miranda drew a four-pitch walk before scoring on freshman Michael Pfenninger's (Hunterdon, N.J. / Hunterdon Central) run-scoring double that also forced the visitors to the bullpen. Bisset followed with a RBI single to left field to score Pfenninger. Two batters later Bisset would cross the plate on a Kalousdian infield single to third while providing the Jaspers with what would prove to be an insurmountable 7-1 advantage.
While the Manhattan wouldn't give up the lead at any point in the game, the Broncs would make things interesting.
Rider took advantage of a seventh-inning error to push three runs across the plate in trimming the deficit to 7-4. The damage could have been worse but Scott McClennan stranded a pair in scoring position with a strikeout of Thomas, who had earlier taken him deep.
The Broncs then plated two more in the top of the eighth on Brian Uliana's leadoff home run and Jake Bender's RBI ground out while slicing the deficit to 7-6. Senior RHP Michael Scarinci (Nanuet, N.Y. / Pearl River) evaded further trouble by inducing an inning-ending ground out while stranding the would-be tying run at third.
In the bottom part of the frame, the Jaspers used another big two-out rally to put the game out of reach. Bisset got things rolling with a single before Forlow followed with a single. Kalousdian then notched his third hit of the game on a two-strike offering, scoring Bisset in the process. Santisteban followed with his team-leading 14th double, a shot off the wall in right center, scoring Forlow and Kalousdian in extending the lead out to 10-6.
Rider would get one back in the ninth but get no closer in falling 10-7.
Kalousdian had another big day, finishing 3-for-5 with a RBI and a stolen base. He also extended his hitting streak to 18 and has now hit safely in 22-of-24 with 17 multi-hit games since the series finale at Monmouth back on March 29. Joining him with three hits and a stolen base was Bisset.Santisteban went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI and two walks while Forlow had two hits and a run to cap the multi-hit performers for Manhattan, which rapped out 13 hits.Scott McClennan (4-6) earned the win, striking out seven, against no walks, while yielding four runs, two earned, on eight hits over 7.0 innings.James Locklear and Uliana each went 3-for-5 to highlight a 12-hit offensive attack for the visitors.RHP Kurt Sowa (4-4) was saddled with the loss, allowing six runs, five earned, on five hits with three strikeouts over 3.2 innings.Manhattan returns to action on Saturday, May 9 with a noon doubleheader at NJIT.
