FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Manhattanville College opened the season with two losses, Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Armstrong Invitational hosted by Methodist University. The Valiants dropped their first game to Lynchburg University by a score of 5-3 and then fell to Methodist by a score of 5-1 later in the afternoon. 

Lynchburg (2-2) jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs in the first two innings. The Hornets then added one more run in the sixth inning to take a 5-0 advantage. Manhattanville (0-2) mounted of a run of their own in the eighth inning, adding three runs to cut the lead to just two. Senior catcher Joseph Silvestri (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) doubled to left to drive in senior infielder Matt Lynch (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) and then junior catcher Jack Matero (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) hit a two-run homer to right center to make the score 5-3. The late offensive outburst was not enough and the Valiants fell in their first game of the season. 

The second game of the day was tight until the later innings. Methodist (5-3) struck first, taking a 1-0 lead through one inning. The Valiants bounced back in the top of the second, thanks to a sac fly from junior infielder Hathaway Roper (Stratford, Conn./Bunnell) that scored senior infielder Peter Iannarilli (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South). The Monarchs answered with one more run in the bottom of the second to take a 2-1 advantage. The 2-1 score held until Methodist put up three more runs in the seventh to take a 5-1 lead. The Valiants were unable to answer and the game ended 5-1. 

The Crimson and White return to action tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 23. The team takes on Pennsylvania State University-Abington at 10:00 A.M. for their final game of the Armstrong Invitational.