New Rochelle, N.Y. (April 7, 2007)- Mike Garcia blasted two, three-run, homers to lead Manhattan to a, 12-5, series sweeping win over Iona this afternoon at Salesian Field. The Jaspers won their seventh straight and 11th in their last 12 to improve to 15-11 overall and 9-0 in MAAC play. The 9-0 start to conference play improves upon the already program best start. The team's nine straight road wins is currently second longest in the nation.
Manhattan plated a run in the top of the third to begin the scoring. Eric Nieto reached on an error, and stole second, scoring on an RBI single by Matt Rizzotti. The Jaspers scored four times in the top of the fifth to take a 5-0 lead. After the first out in the fifth, Rizzotti singled and Nick Derba walked, setting up Garcia for the first of his two, three-run home runs to left center field. Kevin Nieto greeted an Iona reliever with his fourth triple of the season, and scored on a Ryan Masters RBI groundout.
Iona knocked one run off its 5-0 deficit, using a walk, an infield single and a Manhattan error to make the score 5-1 after five innings. In the seventh, walks to Rizzotti and Derba again set the stage for Garcia, who sent the ball over the left center field fence for the second time, to increase the Jasper advantage to 8-1 after seven innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, Iona rallied for four runs on five hits to pull within three, 8-5, heading into the ninth inning.
In the final frame, a Marc Giordano RBI single, a Nunzio Franzese two-RBI triple, and Rene Ruiz RBI groundout brought the lead back to seven, 12-5.
Jeremy Shaw twirled a perfect bottom of the ninth to close out the Jasper' ninth straight road victory.
Manhattan gets back in action on Wednesday, April 11, traveling to West Point, N.Y. to take on Army. First pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m.
