PURCHASE, N.Y.- Sophomore Robbie Lynch (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) tallied three hits, including two home runs and five RBIs against Western Connecticut State on Thursday afternoon, helping the Manhattanville baseball team take down the Colonials in non-conference play by a final score of 8-3.
 
Lynch was the difference-maker at the plate for Manhattanville (15-13), stroking three hits, bringing home five of the eight runs for the Valiants. Freshman Dennis Berardi (Brewster, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) and junior Julian Ponce (Port Chester, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) held Western Connecticut State (12-9) to only one hit all afternoon despite allowing three runs to the Colonials.
 
Berardi (2-1) made the start on the mound for Manhattanville, tossing five innings, giving up three runs on no hits while striking out four batters. Although Berardi did not allow a hit, the freshman walked nine batters, putting Western Connecticut runners on the base paths before being replaced by Ponce. Ponce shutout the Colonials in four innings of work, giving up the only hit on a dribbler up the middle that was beat out by Bryan Harper before picking up the save.
 
The Colonials got on the scoreboard first in the first inning of play as Gus Constantino made his way home on a wild pitch, giving Western Connecticut an early 1-0 lead. The Valiants had an answer in the first, taking a 2-1 lead after a two-run homer from Lynch over the left field wall. A failed pick-off attempt by Colonials starting pitcher Andrew Fogarty allowed sophomore John Delahanty (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) to advance home, making it 3-1 in favor of the Valiants after the first.
 
Lynch stepped up again in the second inning, stroking a two-run single up the middle, tallying his fourth RBI to give the Valiants a 5-1 lead after two innings of play. Western Connecticut was able to chip away at its four-run deficit in the third and fifth inning on two sacrifice flies from Frank Vartuli, making it 5-3 after five. Manhattanville put two more runs on the board in the seventh inning, starting with an RBI double from freshman Ryan Ramirez (Orlando, Fla./Conerstone Charter Academy). Junior Kurt Hommen (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) brought in the second run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly to give the Valiants a 7-3 lead after seven. A solo home run from Lynch in the eighth put Manhattanville up 8-3 as Ponce continued to punch out Western Connecticut at the plate. The junior struck out four batters, tossing shutout baseball to help the Valiants beat the Colonials by a final score of 8-3.
 
Manhattanville will take on Delaware Valley tomorrow at Manhattanville Field at 3:30 p.m. in a Freedom Conference matchup. Live stats are available via GoValiants.com.