HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – The Manhattanville College baseball team split Sunday's doubleheader at Centenary to bring an end to a stretch of five games across the last five days. After taking the opener 8-7 in extras, the Valiants were walked off in game two by the Cyclones to move to 5-4 on the season.
Game One Recap: Manhattanville 8, Centenary 7 (Eight Innings)
The first of two scheduled seven-inning contests would need extras to determine a winner as the Valiants hung six runs on the board in the sixth before plating the eventual winning run in the eighth.
The Cyclones struck in the bottom of the first, scoring on a pair of hits and an error to go up 1-0. The score held steady until the fourth. After the first nine Valiants were set down in order to begin the game,
Braden Kunda (Eastchester, N.Y./Eastchester) reached on an error to represent Manhattanville's first baserunner of the day.
Gregory Tashik (Midland Park, N.J./Midland Park Jr./Sr.) followed up with a single before
Joseph McDonald (Coram, N.Y./Longwood) dropped down a sacrifice bunt to put a pair in scoring position. Kunda crossed home on
Jackson Branigan's (Yonkers, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) sacrifice fly to tie things up at 1-1.
Centenary went back in front in the fifth with a two-out rally, scoring three runs despite getting just one hit in the frame. Despite a couple of miscues allowing the opposition to retake the lead, Manhattanville responded with a six-run sixth to take their first lead of the day. With the bases loaded and two gone,
Ryan Osso (Eastchester, N.Y./Eastchester) dropped in a single to score Kunda.
Chris Goohs (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown H.S. East) then delivered a two-run single, plating Tashik and
Jordan Wazolek (Yonkers, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) to tie the game up at 4-4.
Jake Parisi (Centereach, N.Y./Centereach) then stepped up to the dish to deliver the big blow, a three run homer that put Manhattanville ahead 7-4.
The Cyclones scratched out three runs over the next two innings to sent the game to extras. Trailing by two in the bottom of the seventh, Centenary rallied against
Gregory Esposito (Katonah, N.Y./John Jay) to tie the game up at 7-7. The winning run would be retired after being caught in a rundown on the basepaths between second and third, sending the game into the eighth.
Pinch hitting to open up the inning,
Marco Clara (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) laced a double to right center to immediately put the go-ahead run in scoring position.
Anthony Mezzaucella (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) came on as a pinch runner and advanced up to third on a passed ball two batters later. Osso brought the go-ahead run home on an RBI groundout.
The Cyclones threatened to tie things up once again in the bottom half as they opened up the inning with back-to-back singles.
Joseph Lacoparra (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) was called upon to slam the door shut, stranding bases loaded after an intentional walk with a strikeout and game-ending ground out to earn his first save of his collegiate career.
Esposito would earn the win after going two-plus innings in relief, surrendering three runs (one earned) on three hits and a pair of strikeouts while walking one.
Ryan Costa (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport Blue-Point) pitched five innings as the Valiant starter, striking out three while giving up six hits and being charged with four runs, although just one would be charged as earned.
Osso and Tashik both had two-hit games at the plate for the Valiants.
Game Two Recap: Manhattanville 4, Centenary 5
The Cyclones split the day's action by earning a walkoff victory in the backend of the doubleheader.
One out away from another game heading to extras, Osso, now pitching, looked to have induced the third out as Matt Perine got under the pitch and popped up to shallow right field. However, the ball would drop off a Valiant glove, allowing Dominick Chiego to score with the winning run on the error.
It was a hard-luck loss for Osso on the mound, pitching three innings out of the pen. The junior allowed just one hit and two walks in his outing, with the unearned run being the lone blemish on his line. Osso struck out one as he falls to 0-1 following his second pitching appearance of the year.
Osso relieved
Aiden Cardel (Lagrangeville, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) who tossed 3.2 innings in the start. Making his first collegiate appearance, the sophomore scattered five hits and a walk. Cardel was clipped for four runs, two earned, in his outing.
The Cyclones struck early, putting three runs up in the first on three hits and an error. Manhattanville began to fight back in the third with
Gabe Astrologo (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic Prep) setting the table with a one-out triple. After
Christian Amoruso (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) was hit by a pitch, Parisi drove in the first run with a single to center.
CJ Archul (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) followed suit with an RBI single of his own to pull the Valiants back within a run.
Centenary added onto their lead with another unearned run in the fourth before Manhattanville tied the game up in the fifth. While the Valiants didn't record a hit in the frame, a pair of Cyclone errors allowed Manhattanvile to capitalize. Astrologo led off by reaching on an error and advance to second after Parisi was drilled by a pitch. Another error in Archul's plate appearance allowed Astrologo to score, while Parisi crossed on
Mike Ambrosecchia's (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) fielder's choice to tie things up at 4-4 where they stayed until the bottom of the seventh.
The Valiants were held to just three hits in the contest, all coming in the two-run third.
Up Next
The Valiants return home on Friday morning to begin conference play, hosting Yeshiva for a doubleheader starting at 9:30 a.m.
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