MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – A combined complete game shutout by the junior pitching tandem of Travis Brescia (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) and Thomas Iazzetta (Thornwood, N.Y./Westlake) led the Manhattanville College varsity baseball team to its first win of the season, blanking Bridgewater State 7-0 on Sunday. The win makes the Valiants 1-1 through three days of The Ripken Experience down in Myrtle Beach.

The duo of Brescia and Iazzetta held the Bears to just three hits and a single walk across nine innings of work. Brescia got the start, tossing five innings of one-hit ball while striking out a pair. The junior induced 11 groundouts to keep Bridgewater State off the basepaths. Iazzetta then shut the door for the rest of the way, scattering two hits across his four innings of work and striking out four Bears, earning a save in the process.



With the Valiant arms shutting down the Bear bats, Manhattanville was able to take the first and final lead of the day in the fourth inning. Matt Tuite (Shrub Oak, N.Y./Lakeland) drew a leadoff walk and immediately caused havoc on the basepaths. The graduate first baseman stole second before darting his way to third one batter later. The throw from catcher Matthew Pigeon was late and off line, allowing Tuite to come home with the first run of the day. Joseph Silvestri (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) followed in his footsteps with a walk and a steal of his own, coming around to score on a Brian Bornkamp (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) single and advancing to home on a throwing error to put the Valiants up 2-0.

The score would hold at 2-0 until the seventh inning. Michael Musantry (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) lined a leadoff double into the outfield and advanced to third on a groundout. Jake Parisi (Centereach, N.Y./Centereach) drew a walk, and as was the trend in the team's last scoring inning, stole second. Pigeon's throw was off target again, allowing Musantry to score. Parisi would steal third before Anthony Caputo (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) tripled to bring him to the plate.

Manhattanville added three more runs in the eighth. With runners at the corners, Musantry dropped down a bunt on a squeeze play, allowing Tuite to score as everyone reach base safely. Silvestri stole his third base of the day and was able to score on the Bears' fifth error of the game one batter later before Musantry darted home on a passed ball to put Manhattanville up 7-0.

Iazaetta retired the side in order in the ninth to secure the Valiants' first win of the season.

Up Next
The Valiants will play a pair of contests tomorrow. Junior Varsity hits the field first at 10 a.m. against Catholic University before the varsity team takes on Penn College at 12:30.