May 28, 2011

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Siena's improbable run to the MAAC Championship game ended with a 5-1 loss to Manhattan Saturday night in Trenton's Waterfront Park. MAAC Tournament MVP Mike Giordano allowed just one unearned run and three hits in nine brilliant innings to secure the Jaspers first league title since 2006.

Siena's senior class of Kevin Quaranto, Zach Hartman, Kyle Sumple and Kyle Hudson saw their careers end the way they started, with a runner-up finish here in Trenton.

"I wouldn't trade my experience with you guys for anything," Hartman told his teammates after the game. "Having my career end on the mound in the Championship game, I couldn't ask for anything more."

Hartman pitched the final inning just one day after tossing seven innings in the Saints' heartbreaking loss to the Jaspers Friday. It was the type of effort that typified Siena's exciting streak to the Tournament, and ultimately the final.

Of course the end of the season also likely means the final game in the Green and Gold for the greatest player in the history of the MAAC, Dan Paolini. Paolini was named to the All-Tournament team after blasting two home runs in Siena's four games. The two-time Player of the Year, Second Team All-American and Dick Howser Award Finalist finishes his junior season with 56 long balls, far and away the most in league history. Remarkably, he has a year of eligibility remaining, but barring a gross oversight, he won't use it, because he will be selected very high in June's Major League draft.

Paolini was joined on the All-Tournament team by sophomore Mike Fish and freshman Neil Fryer, both part of Siena's impressive nucleus of young talent that figure to keep the Saints in the MAAC hunt for the foreseeable future.

This Championship belonged to Manhattan. The veteran Jaspers capped off a remarkable season that included a 20-2 regular-season league mark, and a 3-0 Championship performance. Saturday, they seized control of the game early, scoring twice in the second and three times in the third. They never looked back.

Fryer, Ryan Poplawski and Hartman teamed to keep the Jaspers scoreless over the final six innings, but Siena never managed a real offensive threat.

The Saints finish with a 28-30 overall record after rallying to win 21 of their final 34 games. The season seemed left for dead after the team fell to 1-5 in MAAC play early with a series loss at Iona, but behind Paolini and the senior class the Saints dug deep, eventually reaching their sixth Championship game in 22 seasons in the conference.

"I'm really proud of all of you," head coach Tony Rossi told his team after the game. "The coaches and I were talking this morning, and we never imagined we would get this far after the start we had. You have a lot to be proud of."