Manhattan University Athletics

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. – Faced with a four-run defect heading into the ninth inning, the Manhattan baseball team managed to bring three across but ultimately the rally fell short as Niagara came away on top, 9-8.

Manhattan (10-24, 4-5 MAAC), will return to action on Tuesday at Clover Stadium when Stony Brook comes up from Long Island for a 3 p.m. meeting on ESPN3.

Alfredo Delgado brought one run in the top of the first on a line drive which managed to find the corner in right field to bring around Frankie Marinelli for Delgado's 12th RBI of the season.

Niagara responded to the early run with four of their own in the home half of the first to take a 4-1 lead.

The lead was cut to two runs in the fifth inning, 4-2, with Delgado once again delivering at the dish, connecting for a single right up the middle with the bases loaded, bringing around Marinelli again, but Daniel Perez was thrown out at home after trying to score from second.

The fifth ended with two runs by Niagara to grow the lead to 7-2.

Instead of crossing the plate, Marinelli would start to bring his teammates around, clubbing a pair of doubles in his next two at bats, scoring two in the sixth and one in the eighth to once again come within two, 7-5. Niagara added two runs in the home half of the eighth to make the score 9-4 in the top of the ninth.

The rally was kicked off by Pete Durocher, who singled to right to left the inning. Durocher managed to score from first on a single by Delgado. The Purple Eagle defense falters on the play and committed an error on the throw, allowing Delgado to reach third when the dust settled.

Two batters later, the lead was once again back down to two, 9-7, Trevor Santos utilized a sac fly to bring Delgado home. The next man up, Trevor Hansen drilled a solo home run to right field to come within one, 9-8. The rally was halted when Greg Shaw struck out swinging to end the game.  

Marinelli finished the game with a season-high three RBI while Delgado's three hits is a season-high as well.

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