April 17, 2011
Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Marist baseball team was swept in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader against Manhattan at Van Cortlandt Park on Sunday. The Red Foxes suffered an 11-8 loss in the seven-inning first game, and a 3-1 defeat in the nine-inning second game.
Sophomore Ricky Pacione (Newburgh, N.Y.), red-shirt senior Bryce Nugent (Binghamton, N.Y.) and junior Eric Helmrich (Yonkers, N.Y.) all went 3-for-8 on the day.
In game one, Manhattan scored in each of the first five innings, as the Jaspers tallied five in the first, two in the second, one in the third, two in the fourth and one in the fifth. The Red Foxes trailed 11-4 entering the seventh thanks to four runs in the fourth, and mounted a late rally. Marist was down to its final out when the Red Foxes strung five consecutive hits to cut their deficit to three and then brought the tying run to the plate, but freshman Nick McQuail (Wantagh, N.Y.) went down on strikes to end the game.
Manhattan starter Erik Luksis went the first five innings to get the win and improve to 3-2. Sophomore left-hander Dan Zlotnick (Katonah, N.Y.) took the loss and fell to 5-2. Manhattan right fielder Mike McCann and catcher Ramon Ortega each went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs, and designated hitter Kyle Murphy belted a three-run homer in the first inning.
In game two, Manhattan third baseman Chad Salem accounted for all of the Jaspers' runs with a two-run homer in the first and a solo shot in the fourth. Salem finished 4-for-4 as he doubled in his final two at-bats. He finished with four of Manhattan's six hits as the Red Foxes outhit the Jaspers, 9-6.
The Red Foxes once again mounted a late rally. Trailing 3-0, Helmrich came to the plate representing the tying run with junior third baseman Jon Schwind (Hilton, N.Y.) on second and sophomore first baseman Mike Orefice (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) on first. Helmrich took a 3-2 pitch back through the middle for a base hit. Schwind scored, but after Orefice rounded second, Manhattan center fielder Mark Onorati threw behind the play to shortstop Nick Camastro covering second, and Orefice was tagged out trying to get back to second to end the game.
Manhattan starter Mike Giordano pitched a complete game as he scattered nine hits and two walks while striking out eight. Giordano is now 5-1 this season. Senior left-hander Sean McKeown (Hillsborough, N.J.) took the loss for Marist to fall to 4-1. McKeown went the first 5.1 innings, and allowed just three hits to go along with three runs and no walks while striking out three. Red-shirt senior right-hander Eric Alessio (Nyack, N.Y.) relieved McKeown and tossed 2.2 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
Marist is now 22-12 overall and 4-8 in the MAAC; Manhattan improved to 18-12 overall and is perfect in MAAC play at 12-0.
The Red Foxes will return to action on Tuesday in a non-conference game when they host Binghamton. First pitch at McCann Baseball Field is set for 3:30 p.m.
