MRYTLE BEACH, S.C. - Despite leading by three runs going into the bottom of the tenth inning, the Manhattanville University baseball team fell in extra innings in the final contest of The Ripken Experience to New England College by a score of 6-5 in eleven innings. With the mark, Manhattanville sits at 4-3 with the first home event less than a week away.
The Valiants took the lead midway through the contest, but both squads would trade blows all the way until the Pioneer double to left center that proved to be the difference maker.
Manhattanville took the lead in the top of the fourth inning, after a one-out walk by Gregory Tashik (Midland Park, N.J./Midland Park Jr./Sr.) led to a double by Chris Goohs (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown H.S. East) in the gap put runners on second and third. Joseph McDonald (Coram, N.Y./Longwood) was able to bring home the man placed on third with a grounder to the shortstop, for the 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Pioneers would answer back and subsequently take the lead in the contest, from a single through the right side of the infield and an errant pitch gave two baserunners for Johnny Cannavo to lace a double the opposite way down the right field line to even the score at one-all. Brady Philibotte would dip into the same right field well, this time with a sacrifice fly to bring in the runner on third for a 2-1 lead.
The Valiants would tie the game later in the top eighth, after reaching first to lead off the inning with a fielding error by the second baseman seeing Anthony Caputo (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) pinch run at first. Caputo would get moved up to second after a sacrifice fly, being brought around by a Joshua Gillison (Buchanan, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) single to left field, pinning the contest tied at 2-2.
No action would be seen in the next two innings bringing the tilt into extra innings, when the Valiants would put up a crooked three on the scoreboard. The three-run swing was kickstarted by Jackson Branigan (Yonkers, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) singling to right field. A fielding error allowed Gabe Astrologo (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic Prep) to reach first after the catcher couldn't handle his sacrifice bunt. The two runners were both moved up a base after the Valiants played a little more small ball, advancing them with a sacrifice bunt. Manhattanville was able to grab ahold of the lead when Tashik hit a ball to center field, allowing both runners to come home after the center fielder could not field the ball cleanly. Goohs was able to bring home Tashik with another hit to the outfield, mounting a 5-2 lead.
Down to their final three outs, the Pioneers came back with a big inning to match the Valiants output. A walk and a hit-by-pitch led off the bottom of the tenth inning, leading to a single by Philibotte, loading the bases with no outs. Manhattanville was able to trade one out for one run, as the batter reached on a fielder's choice, but not before the run would touch the plate. Bryce Worth would lace a double to left center, bringing home the remaining runners on base, and once again tying the contest, this time at 5-5.
Manhattanville would grab ahold of the lead in the next half inning, as Anthony Peterson (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Hasbrouck Heights) led off with a walk. Peterson would advance to third on miscues by New England, first a failed pickoff attempt, then a wild pitch putting the sophomore in prime position to score. Score he did as Astrologo drove him in from a sacrifice fly to right field, for the 6-5 margin.
The Pioneers would start the inning with a walk from Monteforte, getting moved up into scoring position by a sacrifice bunt. A Cannavo single to left center would drive in the runner on second, tying the score at six-all. New England would walk it off on the next batter, as Philibotte stepped up and smacked one to deep left field, good enough for the run on first to make his way all the way to score and take the game for the Pioneers.
Ryan Osso (Eastchester, N.Y./Eastchester) got the ball on the mound for the Valiants, pitching five innings of work striking out three and only allowing two earned runs on three hits. He was supplanted by Ryan Costa (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport Blue-Point), who in his four innings pitched struck out a game-high five batter.
CJ Archul (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South), Gillison, and Goohs all turned in multi-hit performances, with two hits apiece.
Up Next
The Valiants return home to the spring weather with their home opener against Saint Elizabeth on Sunday with first pitch slated for Noon.
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