RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Trailing 4-0 in the ninth inning, Vin Teixeira belted a two-run home run and the Jaspers got the tying run on base in their final trip to the plate, but Iona's John Daddino got the final two outs to nail down the save as Iona won 4-2 in the opener.
In the seven-inning game two with the score tied 2-2, Chris Kalousdian drilled a line drive that one-hopped the wall in right center field, scoring Yoandry Galan, who doubled with two outs to keep the Jaspers alive. Kalousdian's clutch hit gave Manhattan a 3-2 victory, helping the Jaspers to a split of the doubleheader.
"We needed that second game badly," head coach Jim Duffy said. "I challenged the team and especially the upperclassmen. We needed them to carry the team a little bit more and they responded."
Game 1 Recap | Box Score
First game starters Kenny Dietrich and Joey Rocchietti were dealing early, as neither team got on the board until the top of the fifth. Iona did it on consecutive doubles by Vinny DeMaria and Travis Mistretta to go on top 1-0. Both DeMaria and Mistretta doubled on the first pitch they saw. Rocchietti was able to keep the score at 1-0, but the Gaels struck for three more in the next inning.
Iona drew a pair of two-out walks that came around to score on a two-run double by DeMaria, giving Iona a 3-0 advantage. Tyler Bruno then plated DeMaria with an RBI single, making it 4-0 Iona.
Manhattan got a runner to third base in three of the first four innings, but did not score until the ninth. Chris Kalousdian led off by drilling an 0-2 pitch into left field for a leadoff single. Pinch hitter Vin Teixeira then crushed a two-run home run over the left field fence to cut the deficit in half, making it a 4-2 game.
Later in the ninth, Brendan Slattery drew a one-out walk and Jose Carrera walked with two outs. Daddino then unleashed a nasty breaking ball on a 3-2 count for a called third strike to end the game.
Game 2 Recap | Box Score
In the seven-inning nightcap, Manhattan struck first, sparked by leadoff batter Jose Carrera. Carrera lined a single to center field to start things and stole second base, his 11th straight steal without being caught this season. Christian Santisteban then stroked a two-out single into left field to plate Carrera with the first run of the game.
Iona responded with a run in the second inning on an RBI double by Alex Beckett. The Gaels eventually loaded the bases with nobody out but Jasper starter Joe Jacques started a 1-2-3 double play on a comebacker and got the final out on a fly ball to right field to keep the game tied.
Iona went ahead 2-1 in the fourth but the Jaspers were able to tie the game in the fifth. With Chris Reynolds at third base with two outs, Yoandry Galan ripped a 1-2 pitch into left field to make it a 2-2 contest.
It was Galan who started Manhattan's seventh-inning rally with two outs. He pulled a 1-1 offering down the left field line, landing just fair. Galan hustled around first and slid into second base just ahead of the tag, putting the winning run in scoring position.
Iona starter Mariano Rivera intentionally walked Jose Carrera to face Chris Kalousdian. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Kalousdian drove it deep to right center field as the ball one-hopped the wall and allowed Galan to score easily from second base, sending the Jaspers' dugout onto the field to celebrate the win.
"I'm really happy for Yoandry Galan and Chris Kalousdian," Duffy said after the game. "Galan gets the game-tying RBI with two outs and then he gets that ball down the line. He ran hard, got out of the box and got himself in scoring position. I was really happy for Chris. He's been working his tail off and for him to have an opportunity to win it at the end and to come through for his team, it's a real positive for us."
Manhattan and Iona will meet in the rubber game of the series on Sunday, April 6 at noon at Van Cortlandt Park.
NOTES:
Manhattan turned three double plays in game two, including a nifty 6-4-3 double play turned by Yoandry Galan and Jose Carrera that ended the third inning ... Shawn Kanwisher and Matt Simonetti combined for three scoreless innings of relief in game one and Nick Girardi and William Fabra worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief in the second game ... the Jaspers were successful on all four stolen base attempts in the doubleheader and are 33-for-39 this season ... Iona's game two starter, Mariano Rivera, is the son of former New York Yankees great Mariano Rivera ... Galan and Carrera each went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the nightcap.