PURCHASE, N.Y. – Freshman
Nick Simmons (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) drove in four runs on the day to lead a Valiant offensive attack that featured ten different batters recording a hit, as Manhattanville defeated cross-town rival Purchase College 12-8 Tuesday afternoon.
Simmons was one of five Valiants to record two hits on the day. Senior
Nick Savarese (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun) and junior
Joe Booker (Port Jefferson, N.Y./Port Jefferson) each drove in two runs for Manhattanville (19-11 overall) and freshman
Bryan Borruso (Blaivelt, N.Y./Tappen Zee) scored three times to lead the Valiants.
On the mound, freshman
Francisco Jaile (Hartsdale, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) tossed five strong innings for Manhattanville to improve to 2-0 on the year. Sophomore
Danny Gallagher (Nanuet, N.Y./Paramus Catholic) added two scoreless innings and junior
Joe Anselmi (North Rockland, N.Y./North Rockland) wrapped up the game with two scoreless innings to earn his first career save.
After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, the Valiants responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double from Borruso and an RBI groundout from Simmons. The Panthers (11-19 overall) answered with a run in the second to level the score but Manhattanville fired right back in the bottom of the inning, scoring five runs to take a 7-2 lead.
After a sacrifice fly from sophomore
Nick Campana (Yonkers, N.Y./Iona Prep) and a single from Simmons, Booker delivered a two run double and Savarese capped off the big inning with a double down the right field line to give the Valiants the five run advantage, which they would not lose again.
Simmons picked up his third and fourth RBI's on a two run double down the left field line to make it a 9-5 game in the fourth. The Valiants were not done however, as they scored one run on a wild pitch and make it a six run game on an RBI single from Savarese.
The Panthers cut into the lead in the fifth, scoring three runs in Jaile's final inning of work on the mound. Gallagher, in just his second appearance of the season, did not surrender a hit over the next two innings, allowing just two runners to reach base. Anselmi, also in his second appearance on the mound, allowed one hit, but retired the Panthers in order in the final two frames to pick up the save and give Manhattanville the season sweep of the Panthers.
The Valiants return to conference action this weekend when they travel to Delaware Valley Friday before hosting the Aggies for a two game set at Manhattanville Field Saturday afternoon.
