Manhattan University Athletics

Box Score (PDF)

DeLand, FL - Fueled by a powerful offense and another outstanding starting pitching performance, Manhattan posted a 6-1 win over Air Force in the Jaspers' third and final game at Melching Field.

With its first victory of the year, Manhattan improves to 1-2, while the Falcons fall to 1-1.

Eight of the Jaspers' nine regulars reached base safely to help make a winner of fifth-year senior RHP Jacob Knight (Oakley, CA / Chabot CC), who struck out seven over 6.0 innings of three-hit, one-run ball.

Manhattan's offense was in midseason form as the Jaspers had runners on base every inning, while striking out just once on the afternoon.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Jaspers struck first with a single run. Junior Jake Knop (Portland, ME / Portland) led off with a single, before moving to second on a Jonathan Barditch (So., Miami, FL / Belen Jesuit Prep) sacrifice. Knop then advanced to third on a fly out, before scoring on Will Trochiano's (Jr., Morganville, NJ / Marlboro) RBI single.

Air Force would rally to tie the game in the fifth inning, before immediately seeing the Jaspers respond in the bottom part of the frame. Barditch led off with a single, before a Falcon error and a Trochiano walk loaded up the bases for sophomore Nick Cimillo (Airmont, NY / Suffern). The MAAC Preseason Player of the Year then delivered a two-run double down the left field line, before junior Matt Padre (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central) followed suit with a double of his own to stretch the lead out to 4-1.

The Jaspers would add to the lead in the seventh when Trochiano led off with a walk, before scoring on a double-play grounder, and with one more in the eighth as Barditch plated freshman Alfredo Delgado (Bronx, NY / Fordham Prep) with a RBI ground out.

That would be more than enough for Knight, who retired the first eight batters he faced and diffused every the few situations that would arise during his six innings of action. 

The Falcons had a chance to make things interesting in the seventh with two runs on and two outs, but were denied when junior Teddy Sabato (Rye Brook, NY / UNC) entered out of the bullpen and stranded the runners with an inning-ending strikeout.

Sabato would close out Air Force and finish with three strikeouts over 2.1 innings of hitless relief in collecting the save.

Barditch went 2-for-3 with a run, RBI and sacrifice, while Padre was 2-for-4 with a RBI as all nine regulars reached base safely, while registering eight hits and five walks.

Knight, sophomore LHP Jack Mahoney (Latham, NY / Stony Brook) and Sabato combined to limit Air Force to just four hits with 12 strikeouts over nine dominating innings.

Manhattan will next be in action at Wofford on Friday, February 21 at 6:00 pm.