BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – In a game that featured 17 runs, 25 hits, and four lead changes, Manhattan was edged by LIU 9-8 on Tuesday afternoon.
Manhattan (15-14) fell behind 2-0 and 5-3 before taking a 3-2 lead in the second and tying the game in the fourth with two runs.
LIU (21-11) took the lead for good in the sixth with two runs and added two more in the seventh to take a 9-5 lead. RJ Latkowski doubled in the sixth to bring in two Sharks. Michael Edelman and Giovanni Ciaccio drove in runs with singles in the seventh.
After getting one back in the seventh, the Jaspers made it a 9-7 game with a Matt Padre RBI single in the top of the eighth. Pete Durocher cut the deficit in half with a sacrifice fly to score David Bermudez. The Jaspers would get runners to second and third with two away before a strikeout ended the frame and the threat. Manhattan was retired in order in the ninth.
Padre finished 2-for-5. Bermudez went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Frankie Marinelli and Jack Lynch scored twice for the Jaspers. Six different Jaspers had two hits.
The Jaspers used four pitchers. Ohjiro Motoki tossed 4.1 innings for the Jaspers and struck out six.
Evan Panjwani picked up the win for the Sharks after pitching 3.1 innings of relief and allowing one unearned run. Latkowski recorded the save.
Up next for the Jaspers is a series with Fairfield at Clover Stadium. Game one is set for Thursday at 5 p.m.