May 24, 2007
Final Stats
Fishkill, N.Y. -- Senior shortstop Rene Ruiz went 3-for-4 with three runs scored to lead second-seeded Manhattan (34-17) to a 6-2 victory over third-seeded Marist (20-31) in game two of the 2007 Anaconda Sports MAAC Baseball Championship at Dutchess Stadium.
Manhattan got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning as Matt Rizzotti singled up the middle, bringing home Ruiz.
Marist then tied it up in the top of the fifth as sophomore right fielder Brian McDonough (Hanover, Mass.) scored on a wild pitch by the Jaspers' Jesse Darcy. At the next at-bat, senior center fielder Travis Musolf (Manchester, N.J.) reached first base on a throwing error by Darcy and advanced to second, while senior shortstop Matthew Lesyk (Abbottsford, British Columbia) successfully crossed home plate to give the Red Foxes a 2-1 lead.
Manhattan tied it up again in the bottom of the seventh with Ruiz crossing home plate as Mike Garcia was hit by a pitch by Marist senior reliever Mike Puckli (Leesburg, Va.). Puckli went on hit another batter, Nunzio Franzese, allowing Rizzotti to come home and put his squad up, 3-2. Ryan Masters then hit a two RBI single through the right side to bring in Mike Garcia and Nick Derba to give the Jaspers a 5-2 lead.
The Jaspers registered their final run of the night in the bottom of the eighth, with Ruiz scoring on a ground out double play by Derba.
Darcy went the distance and improved to 9-3 with the victory. He allowed just five hits and one earned run with three strikeouts and one walk. Puckli dropped his record to 0-5 on the mound, surrendering four runs on two hits, two walks and two hit batters with one strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. Marist senior starter Erik Supplee (Williamsburg, Va.) put forth an admirable effort on the bump, scattering nine hits and one run over six innings with one strikeout and three walks.
Marist will play Canisius in an elimination game Friday at 11:00 a.m. Game four between Manhattan and Le Moyne is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow. Le Moyne defeated the Golden Griffins 11-1 in Thursday's first game.
