WEST LAWN, Pa. – For the sixth consecutive season, the Manhattanville College baseball team is headed to the MAC Freedom postseason and will look to turn some heads at Owls Field as the number four seed as they seek their first conference championship since 2010.
It was not exactly a prototypical season for the Valiants, as the Crimson and Black earned the number four seed for the tournament after compiling a 10-11 league record, 18-22 overall. The team however won big games down the stretch to clinch the final spot, and will look to carry that momentum into the postseason.
HOT BATS, TIMELY HITTING: The Valiants have carried themselves into the postseason behind another strong offensive season. As a team, Manhattanville has hit .295 this season, with their top five offensive weapons hitting over .300 for the season. Sophomore
Luke Scoggins (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun) leads the offensive attack for Manhattanville as he has been an excellent setup man for the heart of the lineup this season. The lefty boasts the eighth best batting average in the conference at .399 and ranks third in the league with 57 hits. Scoggins blasted a walk-off home run against Wilkes University to keep the Valiant postseason hopes alive and will be a key contributor from the three hole all tournament.
Senior
Robbie Lynch (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) is once again a standout for the Valiants at the plate. Despite hitting .306 this season, he still leads the team in runs batted in and ranks seventh in the conference with 32. Earlier this season he tied a 30-year old program record for career home runs, hitting his 27th of his career against Wilkes. Along with his bat, Lynch also has been effective on the base paths, leading the team in runs scored with 35 which ranks sixth best in the conference and also leads the MAC Freedom in stolen bases with 16.
The Valiants have also gotten key contributions from senior
Joe Booker (Port Jefferson, N.Y./Port Jefferson) this season. Despite appearing in just 25 games a year ago, the senior has done an excellent job at the plate late in games, driving in nine runs in the seventh inning or later this season and ranks third on the team in total RBIs this year.
GAME ONE IS KEY: As is the case for nearly every MAC Freedom baseball tournament, winning the opening game is critical to success. This year is no different as the Valiants will take on top seed DeSales University in the opening game of the playoffs Friday afternoon at 4:00 pm. Manhattanville will need to find a way to put together quality starts on the mound to put themselves in a position to compete for the title. The Valiants took one game from DeSales this season, winning the final game of the series 3-2 on the road.
FAN INFORMATION: Admission is required to attend MAC Freedom postseason games. Tickets will be sold at the gate, and will cost $6 for adults, $3 for students, and children under the age of 6 will be admitted free of charge. Tickets are good for the day of purchase.
For fans that cannot make it to Owls Field, live stats and video will be available on GoValiants.com and fans can follow the Valiants on social media (@GoValiants) for updates all weekend long.
