UNION, N.J. – The Manhattanville College baseball team used five scoreless innings from junior Jorge Castro (Yonkers, N.Y./Globe Institute of Technology) and three RBIs from senior Robbie Lynch (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) to propel past the Pioneers of William Paterson University 8-4 Thursday afternoon at Jeff Albies Field.
 
Castro struck out four while scattering four hits and three walks to earn his first win in the Crimson and Black for Manhattanville. Sophomore Francisco Jaile (Hartsdale, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) tossed 2.1 innings of relief, allowing two runs while striking out one to help the Valiants bounce back from yesterday's loss.
 
At the plate Lynch went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, including his first homerun of the season, a two-run blast to left center in the sixth inning. Sophomore Luke Scoggins (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun) and freshman Joseph Silvestri (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) had two hits apiece, knocking in a run each in the win.
 
Manhattanville jumped on the Pioneers early Thursday, scoring five times in their first two at bats to take a commanding lead. In the top of the first, junior Danny Gallagher (Nanuet, N.Y./Paramus Catholic) scored on a wild pitch to put the Valiants on top and Manhattanville broke the game open with three RBI singles in the second to take the five-run advantage. Continuing to boast a hot bat at the plate, senior Joe Booker (Port Jefferson, N.Y./Port Jefferson) drove home Lynch in the sixth with an RBI single through the left side of the infield to make it 6-0 Valiants.
 
The lead was stretched as far as 8-0 when Lynch launched a rocket to left center for his first homerun of the year and eighth run batted in of the season, pushing the game out of reach for good, as the Pioneers could only put up four runs the rest of the way and the Valiants held on for the 8-4 victory.
 
With the win Manhattanville improves to 6-8 on the season while the Pioneers slip back to .500 at 7-7-2 this year. The Valiants are scheduled to finally play their home opener on Saturday when they host King's (Pa.) in a MAC Freedom doubleheader beginning at 1:00 pm. Fans are encouraged to check GoValiants.com or the official Manhattanville Athletics social media accounts (@GoValiants) for updates regarding the inclement weather forecasted for Purchase the next few days.