PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College baseball team held a one-run lead on two occasions Wednesday afternoon, April 3, against SUNY Old Westbury, but the Valiants were unable to hold on as the visiting Panthers managed two runs in the top of the ninth to deal the home squad the loss.
 
Manhattanville (10-9) fell behind early against Old Westbury (9-10-1) and the Valiants allowed four runs in the top of the first. The bleeding was stopped though as rookie sidewinder D.J. Nakashima inherited two baserunners. He allowed a hit to the first batter he faced, but then got the next one to ground into an inning-ending double play to limit the damage.
 
The score remained 4-0 until the home half of the third inning when the Valiants finally got on the board. Manhattanville loaded the bases with one out and senior Kieran Corrigan (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) broke through with an RBI single to left. Then, with two outs, junior Peter Iannarilli (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) began the walk parade with a bases loaded walk. Sophomore Luke Shaffer (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) was then hit by a pitch, and following a Panther pitching change, classmate Hathaway Roper (Stratford, Conn./Bunnell) walked as well. Junior Stephen Merrill (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) closed out the scoring with a hit-by-pitch of his own to make it 5-4 Valiants.
 
Old Westbury came back to score three in the top of the fifth to take the lead at 7-5 and neither squad scored again until the bottom of the eighth when Manhattanville took the lead for the second time of the afternoon. Merrill laid off the inning with a double to right and was replaced by senior Tom Gilmartin (Levittown, N.Y./Island Trees) as a pinch runner. Rookie Tyler Viscusi (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) was walked on four pitches to chase the Panther pitcher, and junior Matt Lynch (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) immediately singled up the middle to plate Gilmartin from center.
 
Sophomore Jack Matero (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) followed with a sacrifice fly ball to score Viscusi. Lynch stole second to move into scoring position, and advanced to third the next at-bat when Corrigan reached on an error by the Old Westbury shortstop. Sophomore Matt Tuite (Shrub Oak, N.Y./Lakeland) came into the game as a pinch hitter and Corrigan stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Tuite reached on a fielder's choice by Lynch was caught in a pickle between third and home. Iannarilli came to bat next, though, and ripped a single to left to place Corrigan and make it 8-7.
 
Unfortunately, the Panthers were able to score a pair of runs in the top of the ninth and the Valiants were unable to come back in the home half.
 
Manhattanville is scheduled to return to the field for a road MAC Freedom contest at Wilkes University this Friday afternoon, April 5. First pitch between the Valiants and Colonials is set for 3:30 p.m.