WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - Senior
Robbie Lynch (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) blasted a two-out, two-run home run in the ninth inning to give the Manhattanville College baseball team a key 7-6 victory over Wilkes University Friday evening.
The home run was the 26th of Lynch's career matching the 30-year old program record held by Dave Panno '87. The Bronx native finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate, driving home two runs while scoring twice.
Freshman
Stephen Merrill (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) also blasted a home run on Friday, the first of his collegiate career. He finished the day with a team-best three hits and three RBIs. On the mound, junior
Pat Badia (Somers, N.Y./Somers) earned the win after throwing 1.2 innings of relief, striking out two.
The teams remained scoreless through three innings before the Colonels hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth and added a run in the fifth to go on top 3-0. The Valiants came storming back in the sixth however, scoring four runs with two outs in the frame on an RBI double by senior
John Delahanty (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) and the three-run homer by Merrill. The scoring was just getting started for both teams however, as Wilkes tied the score with a sacrifice fly in the seventh before Manhattanville retook the lead on an RBI double by freshman
Peter Iannarilli (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) in the top of the eighth.
Again, Wilkes had a response in the bottom half of the frame, pushing across two runs to take a 6-5 lead through eight innings. After a strikeout to begin the inning, junior
Danny Gallagher (Nanuet, N.Y./Paramus Catholic) walked to put the tying run on first base. Another strikeout gave the Valiants two outs before Lynch stepped to the plate. On a 1-0 pitch, Lynch launched a deep home run to center field to give Manhattanville the lead 7-6. Despite allowing two runners in the bottom half of the frame, Badia worked out of the jam to help Manhattanville hold on for the one-run victory.
The Valiants and Colonels wrap up their series tomorrow with a doubleheader matchup at Manhattanville Field beginning at 1:00 pm. Before game one the Valiants will honor members of the 2007 Skyline Conference Champion team, and will honor seven graduating members of this year's team before game two.
