MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The 2024 Manhattanville College baseball season opened up Thursday afternoon at The Ripken Experience as the Valiants dropped their season-opener to Johnson & Wales by a final of 10-1. The Valiants begin the five-game Spring break slate 0-1 on the year.

The Wildcats plated runs in five separate innings, erupting for a five-spot in the eighth to build up a 10-0 lead. Manhattanville would break up the shutout in the bottom of the ninth. Jake Parisi (Centereach, N.Y./Centereach) led off the inning with a single and moved up a pair of bases on a passed ball. The graduate infielder came across the plate to score in the following at-bat on a Joseph McDonald (Coram, N.Y./Longwood) groundout.

McDonald and Anthony Pressimone (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) accounted for the Valiants' other two hits in the loss, with McDonald recording a single in the sixth while Pressimone legged out a double in the second.

Ray White (Mohegan Lake, N.Y./Lakeland) got the start on the mound for Manhattanville, pitching 3.1 innings. The junior was tagged for three runs (one earned) while allowing three hits and issuing five walks, striking out a pair. Joseph Lacoparra (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) was the first reliever out of the pen, closing out the fourth while allowing only a walk while striking out one.

Max Krom (Southington, Conn./Southington) and Matthew Messina (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) both pitched two innings for the Valiants in relief, while Jay Lockwood (Stamford, Conn./Stamford) threw the ninth, striking out a pair in a hitless first appearance for 2024.

Up Next
The Valiants are back in action on Friday against Westminster at 12:30 p.m.

VALIANTS on SOCIAL MEDIA For the latest on Manhattanville Athletics, follow the Valiants via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads and YouTube. #WeAreValiant #GoValiants