Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Manhattan baseball team extended its consecutive game winning streak to nine games on Saturday when the Jaspers rolled to 11-3 and 6-2 victories over Saint Peter's (10-17, 2-3 MAAC) in Jersey City. Manhattan (14-11, 8-0 MAAC) kept its unblemished conference record intact with solid pitching performances from starters John Soldinger and Eric Luksis who each picked up wins. Jaspers' sophomore Ramon Ortega and senior Chad Salem combined to drive in 11 of Manhattan's 17 runs as Manhattan remains unbeaten over the last 20 days.
In game one, Manhattan used an eight run surge over the seventh and eight innings to blow open the contest. Soldinger won his third straight game and improved to 5-1 on the season, after going six innings with five strikeouts. The right-hander from Bay Shore, N.Y. yielded just one earned run and walked only one batter before turning the ball over to the bullpen with a 3-2 edge in the seventh inning.
Manhattan erased an early one run deficit in the fourth inning with Ortega's sacrifice fly to drive in his first run of a career-high six-RBI effort. Salem gave Manhattan its first lead of the game in the fifth inning with a two RBI double with two outs to send the Jaspers ahead 3-1. Salem went 4-for-5 in the contest and scored two runs.
The Peacocks pulled within 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning when sophomore Matt Mancini connected on a one-out RBI single to center field. Mancini was one of four Saint Peter's players to register two hits in the ball game.
Manhattan exploded for five runs in the seventh inning as senior outfielder Mike McCann knocked in the first run, and then Ortega smashed a grand slam over the left center field wall. The scoring surge extended Manhattan's lead to 8-2. McCann and Ortega each hit .571 (4-for-7) over the course of the doubleheader.
The Jaspers received extra offensive support in the eight inning beginning with sophomore shortstop Nick Camastro's two RBI single. Ortega got the Jaspers third run across by drawing a two-out walk with the bases loaded as Manhattan went on top 11-2.
Manhattan relievers Jared Hirschberg and Dan Feinberg closed out the final three innings without allowing an earned run. Hirschberg struck out four batters and held Saint Peter's scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings. Feinberg finished off the ninth inning and recorded a game ending strikeout.
In game two, Luksis delivered his second consecutive complete game victory for the Jaspers in the seven inning affair. The Wappingers Falls, N.Y. native recorded a career-high nine strikeouts in the 6-2 triumph.
Manhattan jumped out to a two run advantage in the top of the first inning and never looked back. Senior outfielder Mark Onorati got the Jaspers going with a lead off single, which was followed by a double to right center field from Camastro to put runners in scoring position before an out was recorded. Salem and McCann each pushed a run across the plate with infield ground balls.
Peacocks' junior shortstop Justyn Carter put Saint Peter's on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first with a single and two stolen bases, which allowed outfielder Preston Aldridge to get him across home plate with an infield ground out. The run brought Saint Peter's within 2-1 of the Jaspers.
Manhattan and Saint Peter's each added a run to their tallies in the fourth inning. Ortega scored the Jaspers' run on a throwing error, after leading off the inning with a single. Aldridge recorded the Peacocks run on a Mancini's RBI single to center field to cut Manhattan's advantage to 3-2.
The Jaspers gave Luksis three insurance runs in the sixth inning to go up 6-2. Onorati doubled to drive in the first run and Salem followed with a two run homer. Onorati went 2-for-3 in the ballgame and finished the doubleheader batting .444 (4-for-9) and he scored four runs.
Manhattan sophomore designated hitter Kyle Murphy gave the Jaspers offensive support batting 3-for-4 in the contest. Ortega and McCann also notched three hits.
Manhattan and Saint Peter's will wrap up the three game MAAC series on Sunday with the final contest set for 12 p.m. in Jersey City.