March 25, 2006
Box Score
In the MAAC opener for both teams, Manhattan defeated Siena, 12-0, behind a dominant performance from ace Chris Cody in the opener, then won the nightcap 4-2. The Jaspers improve to 7-8, 2-0 MAAC, while the Saints fall to 2-15, 0-2 MAAC.
In the opener, after a scoreless first, Manhattan plated two in the bottom of the second on a two-out, two-RBI single by Dom Lombardi. The Jaspers added three more in the fifth on a RBI groundout from Eric Nieto and a second two-out, two-RBI single, this time off the bat of Nick Derba, to make the score 5-0.
Manhattan would extend the lead to 6-0 in the sixth on an RBI double by Nunzio Franzese, before blowing the game open with a six run eight, with the big blow being a three run blast by John Fitzpatrick.
Cody scattered three hits over eight shutout innings, allowing just four runners to advance into scoring position. He added seven strikeouts before yielding to Jeremy Shaw in the ninth. Shaw struck out two in his inning of work.
Eric Hildenbrand, Michael Ambury and Nick Messinger each had one of Siena's three hits.
The Manhattan bats picked up right where they left off to begin the nightcap, scoring two first inning runs on RBI by Mike Garcia and Matt Rizzotti.
Siena starter James Pacifico then settled down and allowed just two runs in his final five innings of work in suffering the complete game loss.
The score remained 2-0 until Siena cracked the scoreboard in the fifth on a solo blast by Hildenbrand. The Jaspers would respond with a run in the bottom of the frame on Derba RBI single, and would add an insurance run in the sixth on a Rene Ruiz RBI single, scoring pinch runner Jourdain Dutton.
Siena made things interesting in the top of the seventh, rallying with two outs. A walk and a double brought home a run and brought closer Kyle Wirtz into the game for Manhattan, but Wirtz got pinch hitter Billy Lazio to fly out to center to end the game.
Gazzola struck out nine over 6.2 innings, scattering six hits and allowing two runs. Wirtz earned the save after facing just one batter.
The two teams will finish the series with a single nine inning game at noon tomorrow.
