Philadelphia, PA - Five different players recorded multiple hits to lead a dynamic Manhattan offense that rapped out 16 hits en route to a rousing 11-6 win over La Salle at DeVincent Field.
The Jaspers have now won six-of-nine in moving to 6-9 while the Explorers fall to 4-12.
Senior Brendan Bisset (New City, NY / Don Bosco Prep (NJ)) led the offensive onslaught, going 5-for-6 with two doubles and four RBI while junior Richie Barrella (Larchmont, NY / Canterbury Prep) also reached base safely five times with a double and four walks after reaching safely in all five trips to the plate in Wednesday's midweek victory over LIU Brooklyn.
Playing in frigid conditions, La Salle opened up the scoring with three runs over the first three innings before the Manhattan bats awoke in the top of the fourth inning en route to plating four runs while batting around. Graduate student Evan Brown (Asburnham, MA / Bridgton Academy (ME)) led off with a double before quickly scoring on an Alex Cerda (So., Miami, FL / Florida Christian School) double. Senior Adam Genners (Jacksonville, FL / Stanton College Prep) then walked before Will Trochiano (Fr., Morganville, NJ / Marlboro) reached on an error with Cerda scoring. Graduate student Matt Forlow (Cold Spring, NY / Haldane) followed with a sacrifice fly before Bisset capped the single with an infield hit in staking the visitors to a 4-3 advantage.
Manhattan added to the lead in the sixth as Barrella drew a one-out walk and would quickly come around to score on a Bisset RBI double.
In the seventh, the Jaspers extended their advantage out to 7-3 as Forlow laid down a successful bunt to plate Genners and junior Fabian Pena (Miami, FL / Calusa Prep) crushed a RBI single.
La Salle would quickly respond with three runs in the bottom part of the frame to cut it to 7-6.
However, the red-hot Manhattan offense would have no part of a potential comeback as Bisset led off with a single before coming around to score on a wild pitch to give the Jaspers an insurance run. Freshman Matt Padre (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central) then crossed the plate on another Cerda RBI double in stretching the lead out to 9-6.
Manhattan added two more runs in the ninth with another big hit as Bisset delivered a two-run double in providing the 11-6 final.
Cerda, Genners, Pena and Trochiano all joined Bisset with multiple-hits to round out the top offensive performers for the Jaspers.
Senior LHP Steve Arntsen (Manorville, NY / Eastport-South Manor) earned his first collegiate win with three strikeouts, against no walks, over 4.0 innings of action. Sophomore RHP T.J. Stuart (Milfort, CT / Joseph A. Foran) struck out three over 2.0 innings of relief in earning his second save of the week and third of the year.
Ryan Guckin was 2-for-2 with a two-run homer and two walks to pace a nine-hit attack.
Manhattan returns to action on Saturday, March 17 at Villanova with first pitch tabbed for 7:00 pm.