Late Inning Rally Spoils Win in 6-5 Loss to Gardner-Webb

Boiling Springs, NC – Manhattan bats started hot to take an early lead over the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs, but a late-inning rally and an unfortunate error gave way to the foe and the Jaspers fell 6-5 Saturday evening at Masters Field at John Henry Moss Stadium.

Manhattan (4-7) will close out the series against Gardner-Webb (4-9) with a pair of games tomorrow afternoon. The doubleheader is set for a seven-inning showdown beginning at noon, followed by a full nine-inning contest immediately after.

Vincent Davis led the Jaspers on a 2-for-4 outing and 3 RBI. Frank Marinelli, Trevor Hansen, and JD Stemhagen tallied the team's remaining three hits.

In his first -career start, Michael Staiano pitched 3.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits with four strikeouts. Greg Shaw matched the three and two-thirds innings in relief, holding the Bulldogs scoreless while snagging five strikeouts. Garrett Garbinski took the loss in tonight's game after 1.1 innings of relief.

Gardner-Webb issued a free pass to Marinelli to open the first inning and shifted the Graduate Student around the bases on a passed ball and wild pitch. An RBI ground out from Hansen pushed Marinelli home and shifted Daniel Perez, who reached after being hit, to the corner. Davis cleared the bases on the next at-bat with a 2 RBI homer for the Jaspers' quick 3-0 start.

A two-run homer from Bulldog Alec Burns in the bottom of the third followed by a solo shot from Mark Black in the fourth put the teams even after four. Manhattan's offense went cold for six-straight innings until Davis roped a single up the middle to score Hansen in the eighth.

Up 4-3 heading into the final inning of play, Trevor Santos was hit to take his spot on base. Stemhagen laid a sac bunt to shift him into scoring position and a Marinelli single brought him home.

On one out in the bottom of the ninth, a single into right center followed by a bobbled ball put the tying run on base for the Bulldogs. Garbinski loaded the bases with an intentional walk and the Jaspers took an RBI fielder's choice to hold on to the lead. On his lone hit of the game, Ethan Liao made it count with a double to left center to walk off the game.

After tomorrow's games against Gardner-Webb, Manhattan wraps its fifteen-game road swing with a pair against the Clemson Tigers in South Carolina.

Manhattan University Athletics