THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – For the first time since 2007, the Manhattanville University baseball team has advanced past the opening round of the Skyline Conference Championship Tournament, as the sixth-seeded Valiants eliminated No. 3 Maritime on Wednesday night by a final of 3-2. The win sends Manhattanville into the four-team double elimination finals starting on Friday, where they will take on No. 2 USMMA in their first contest.

With runners on the corners and one away, the Valiants were able to cause some chaos on the basepaths to score the game's first run. Brandon Stanley threw over the first, causing Chris Goohs (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown H.S. East) to get into a rundown. While Goohs drew the attention of the fielders, Gregory Tashik (Midland Park, N.J./Midland Park Jr./Sr.) scampered home from third to put the Valiants on the board as Maritime slapped the tag on Goohs.

Ray White (Mohegan Lake, N.Y./Lakeland) held the Privateers hitless through the first three innings before Maritime broke through in the fourth with the team's first hits and runs. A one-out walk by Alex Bardi and a double by Michael Frazzetta put a pair in scoring position for the home team. Maritime converted with back-to-back RBI singles by Logan Martinson and Rob Copozzi. While White was able to get the next out, a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with two away, with the game threatening to get out of hand quickly. The call to the pen was made to bring on Joseph Lacoparra (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac), who navigated the jam by getting an inning-ending ground out.

White's final line in the start was two runs allowed on three hits and three walks in 3.2 innings, striking out a pair.

Trailing for the first time in the elimination game, the Valiants evened things back up in the fifth. Christian Amoruso (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) led off the frame with a single, advancing to second on CJ Archul's (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) sacrifice bunt. Michael Musantry (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) pushed Amoruso up another 90 feet with a single. Amoruso crossed with the tying run on Anthony Pressimone's (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) groundout.

After playing a key part in the team's first run of the night, Goohs delivered in the seventh with a leadoff solo homer to left to begin the seventh to put the Valiants back in front, 3-2. The deep fly, the sophomore's fourth of the season, proved to be the game-deciding blow.

After Lacoparra got the Valiants out of the jam in the fourth, the relievers combined to shut down the top scoring offense in the conference as Gregory Esposito (Katonah, N.Y./John Jay) and Ryan McCann (Medford, N.Y./Longwood) pitched five combined innings of one-hit ball to secure the win. Esposito allowed just one hit in his two innings out of the pen, striking out three to secure his fourth win of the year.

From there, it was McCann that was tasked with preserving the one-run lead over the final three innings after Esposito hit the leadoff batter in the seventh. The Valiants' leading arm this season quickly erased the inherited runner with a double play ball before getting another ground out to end the inning and begin a string of eight-straight batters retired to earn the save, his first of his career.

McCann has been as reliable as they come on the mound over the final stretch of the season, allowing just two runs over his last four appearances. The sophomore has now thrown 21 consecutive scoreless innings.

Up Next
The Valiants will return to action Friday to play in Game Four of the tournament bracket against second-seeded USMMA at Saint Joseph's Long Island. A win would advance the team to the winner's bracket to take on the winner of No. 1 Saint Joseph's Long Island and No. 4 Farmingdale, while a loss would send the Valiants into the elimination game against the loser of the aforementioned contest. Tickets are available for both single day and weekend passes for the remainder of the tournament HERE.

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