KINGSTON, Pa.- The Manhattanville baseball team controlled a 5-3 lead headed into the final inning of play against Wilkes on Sunday afternoon, but the Valiants were unable to hold on, falling to the Colonels on a walk-off hit from Stephen Ruch to lose by a final score of 6-5 in Freedom Conference play.
 
Manhattanville (18-14, 11-6) would have clinched a playoff spot with a win over Wilkes (16-14, 10-7 Freedom), but instead the Valiants will have to wait another day to seize the opportunity. At the plate, senior Bobby Guerra (Bronx, N.Y./Arlington) and junior Jake McGrath (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane) each registered two hits and two RBIs, but it was not enough in the loss to the Colonels.
 
Freshman Anthony LoFaro (Haworth, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest) made the start on the mound for Manhattanville, tossing 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits before picking up the no decision. Senior Zack Zareva (Warren, N.J./Watchung Hills Regional) entered in relief, throwing three total innings, giving up three runs on four hits before being taken out in the final inning.
 
The Valiants broke out the scoring first, as McGrath brought home the first run of the game in the first inning on an RBI triple down the right field line, scoring junior Jordanis Nunez (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond). On the play, McGrath eventually made it home due to a throwing error at second base, giving the Valiants an early 2-0 lead. Guerra manufactured the next two Valiant runs, starting with an RBI single in the fourth, which was eventually followed by another RBI single in the sixth. The Colonels chipped away at their four-run deficit in the bottom half of the sixth, bringing the game within two runs on two RBI singles off LoFaro.
 
McGrath answered the two runs from Wilkes with an RBI single in the seventh, extending the Valiant lead to three, 5-2. Despite having a three-run lead with two innings left to play, the Colonels would mount a comeback. Joe Champi got the best of Zareva in the eighth and ninth inning, starting with a solo home run in the eighth. Champi stepped back up in the ninth, tying the game up at five on a two-run single to left field. Zareva was eventually replaced by freshman Danny Gallagher (Nanuet, N.Y./Paramus Catholic), who ended up giving up the game-winning run on a walk-off single to Ruch, as the Valiants fell by a final score of 6-5.
 
Manhattanville is scheduled to take on Misericordia for a Freedom Conference three-game series beginning on Friday at 3:30 p.m. Live stats can be accessed via GoValiants.com.