VCU Clips Manhattan 2-1

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Richmond, VA - VCU scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of bottom of the seventh en route to posting a 2-1 win over Manhattan in the second of a three-game series at the Diamond.

The Jaspers fall to 1-7 and will go for the series victory tomorrow while the Rams improve to 4-7.

Junior Richie Barrella (Larchmont, NY / Canterbury Prep) went 3-for-4 and sophomore Alex Cerda (Miami, FL / Florida Christian School) was 2-for-3 with a walk to pace the Manhattan offense. 

Junior RHP Joe DiNizio (Middlesex, NJ / Middlesex) was outstanding on the mound, striking out five while not walking a batter and yielded just two runs on six hits over 6.2 innings of work. Senior LHP Steve Arntsen (Manorville, NY / Eastport-South Manor) relieved DiNizio and retired all four batters to conclude another solid outing by the Jasper pitching unit.

Manhattan opened the scoring in the third inning as senior Michael Pfenninger (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central ) reached on a wild pitch before Cerda singled Adam Genners (Sr., Jacksonville, FL / Stanton College Prep) loaded the bases with no outs thanks to a pair of bunt of singles. Senior Brendan Bisset (New City, NY / Don Bosco Prep (NJ)) then drew a one-out bases-loaded walk to force in Pfenninger.

In the bottom of the frame, Haiden Lamb doubled before stealing third and would score on a Paul Witt RBI single to tie it up at 1-1.

VCU would battle back to the lead in the bottom of the seventh as Lamb delivered what would prove to be the go-ahead RBI single.

The Jaspers would threaten in the top of the ninth as Genners was plunked with one out. Genners then moved to third on a wild pitch and a ground out but was stranded in scoring position. 

Witt went 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead a six-hit Ram offense.

RHP Sean Thompson struck out four while yielding one run on seven hits over 7.0 innings in earning the win while Mac McCarty earned his fourth save with a scoreless inning of relief.

Manhattan and VCU will conclude their series tomorrow at 1:00 pm.