MONTCLAIR, N.J. – After inclement weather kept them of the diamond for a week, the Manhattanville College baseball team finally returned to action on Sunday, dropping both ends of a doubleheader at Montclair State. The Valiants drop to 5-6 overall with the losses.

Game One Recap: Manhattanville 3, Montclair State 7
Held without a baserunner until the fourth inning, the Valiants were unable to erase Montclair's 7-0 lead the Red Hawks built up over the first six innings despite a late rally in the seventh.

The Red Hawks made a statement early with Joe Gisonda blasting a three-run homer in the bottom of the first. Montclair added a fourth run in the second on Miles Feaster's RBI groundout to plate Zach Stearns. All four runs were charged to Ryan McCann (Medford, N.Y./Longwood), who would be saddled with the loss in the seven-inning game. The sophomore went three innings and allowed the four runs on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out three.

Sam Angelo provided the rest of the offense for Montclair in the opener, delivering a two-run single in the fourth ahead of an RBI single in the sixth to put the home squad ahead 7-0.

Manhattanville didn't record a hit until the fourth inning, a two out double by Joseph McDonald (Coram, N.Y./Longwood) that would be left stranded. Despite just two hits in the entirety of the game, the Valiants were able to scratch out three runs in the team's final at-bats. Walks by Gregory Tashik (Midland Park, N.J./Midland Park Jr./Sr.) and Anthony Pressimone (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) sandwiched McDonald reaching on a throwing error, loading the bases with nobody away. RBI groundouts by Joshua Gillison (Buchanan, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) and Mike Ambrosecchia (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) broke up the shutout with a pair of runs before Marco Clara (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) came off the bench to pinch hit and delivered an RBI single, the Valiants' second and final hit of the game. With the tying run now on deck, the Red Hawks turned to Toby Smith out of the bullpen to retire Michael Musantry (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) on strikes to record the one-out save.

Ryan Costa (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport Blue-Point) pitched two innings in relief of McCann, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk with a pair of strikeouts. Gregory Esposito (Katonah, N.Y./John Jay) was also called upon to pitch the sixth, allowing a run on a hit and a walk.

Game Two Recap: Manhattanville 5, Montclair State 11
The Valiants were unable to protect a pair of leads in the backend of Sunday's action to drop both games against the Red Hawks.

Manhattanville struck for a pair in the top of the third to take the first lead of the game. Back-to-back leadoff walks by Anthony Caputo (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) and Matt Louie (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) had the visitors cooking, with the duo both advancing into scoring position on Braden Kunda's (Eastchester, N.Y./Eastchester) sacrifice bunt. Caputo scored the opening run on CJ Archul's (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) groundout before Christian Amoruso (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) singled to left to plate the Vals' second run.

The Red Hawks were quick to answer in the bottom half, scoring a pair on two hits and a Manhattanville error to tie things up. Montclair would take the lead in the fifth on a Jason Morre RBI single.

The score held at 3-2 into the eighth as the Valiant arms of Myles Durney (Port Chester, N.Y./Port Chester) and TJ Fuerst (Purchase, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) were able to limit the damage across the first six innings. Durney made the start, allowing a pair of unearned runs on three hits and four walks while striking out one. Fuerst tossed three innings of relief, with his lone blemish being the Moore single in the fifth. The junior allowed the run on four hits with a pair of walks.

Manhattanville rallied back in front in the eighth inning as walks by Kunda and Amoruso and a Archul hit by pitch loaded the bases with nobody out. Clara delivered his second RBI single of the day, plating the tying run in Kunda. Jackson Branigan (Yonkers, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) drew a bases loaded walk before Amoruso scored on a fielder's choice the following at-bat to put the Valiants up 5-3.

The Red Hawks once again immediately responded in their turn at bat as Montclair blew the game open with an eight run inning on six hits and a Manhattanville error, flipping the script to go up 11-5. The Valiants were unable to respond to the gut punch in the ninth, drawing two walks before the game came to a close.

Max Krom (Southington, Conn./Southington) took the loss, pitching a scoreless seventh inning before finding trouble in the eighth. The freshman's final line was 1.1 innings with six unearned runs allowed, giving up four hits and two walks with a strikeout. Chris Antonelli (Yonkers, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) recorded the final two outs of the inning, allowing two more unearned runs on three hits and a walk.

Musantry and Deven Silva (Yonkers, N.Y./Mount Saint Michael Academy) each recorded a double in the loss for the Valiants. Kunda, Archul, Amoruso and Jordan Wazolek (Yonkers, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) each stole a base.

Up Next
Manhattanville is back home on Tuesday afternoon to host Ramapo for a single game at 3:30 p.m.

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