March 28, 2009
Watch the Saints walk-off with a win in Game One
Final Stats Game 1
Final Stats Game 2
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - Eric Mruczek's shallow sacrifice fly chased home Anthony Giansanti with the winning run in the front end of Siena's (4-20, 1-5 MAAC) doubleheader with Manhattan (11-8. 5-1) giving the Saints a 5-4 walk-off win. The Jaspers coasted to a 17-3 win in the nightcap to take the MAAC series 2-1.
Both teams scored twice in their first at bat of the afternoon in game one. The Jaspers took a quick 2-0 lead in Anthony Armenio's two-out, two-run double, but the Saints answered with a pair of runs on a two-run single by Kevin Quaranto.
The Saints took their first lead of the game on Dan Paolini's one-out RBI double in the third. Manhattan answered with two runs in the top of the fourth to regain the lead. Kevin Nieto's double tied the game and Mark Onorati traded places with an ensuing double to left field.
Siena scored the tying run when Nick Messinger's deep fly to left field was dropped allowing Kyle Barbato to score from third. The error did not cause any damage however as the Saints left the bases loaded.
The score remained knotted at 4-4 until the bottom of the seventh. Giansanti bunted to start the frame and advanced all the way to second when reliever Matt Jordan's throw to first sailed wide. Jason DeFilippo sacrificed Giansanti to third and the Jaspers walked the bases loaded to set up a force play at any base. Mruczek went after the first offering from Jordan and popped the ball to shallow center field. It did not appear deep enough to score Giansanti, but right fielder Mike McCann cut in front of Nieto in center allowing Giansanti to scamper home with the winning run as McCann had to throw home across his body.
Will Hassett went 5.2 innings and allowed just six hits and two earned runs before giving way to Dan Lazzaroni who picked up the win with 1.1 innings of no-hit relief.
The nightcap was not nearly as dramatic. All nine Manhattan starters hit safely and eight of the nine had two hits or more. The Jaspers pounded out 21 hits and scored 17 runs off four Siena pitchers.
Austin Sheffield led Manhattan's attack with four hits and two RBI. Jamie Fitzgerald and Will DeRuve had three hits apiece.
Jaspers' starter Mike Giordano tossed six effective innings scattering seven hits and sacrificing just two earned runs to pick up the victory. Eight different Siena players finished with a hit, though no player posted a multi-hit game.
With the split, Manhattan improves to 5-1 in league play and Siena drops to 1-5.
