RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Jaspers' baseball head coach Kevin Leighton has expanded his 2010-2011 incoming class with the addition right-handed pitcher Jacob Marchus from Palmetto High School in Miami. Marchus is the eighth member of this year's recruiting class, which also features right-handed pitchers Kevin Bonanni (Plainview, N.Y./Plainview JFK), Jared Hirschberg (Katonah, N.Y./John Jay Cross River), Scott McClennan (Cornwall, N.Y./Cornwall Central), and southpaw Mike Martin (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Chaminade), infielders Yoandry Galan (Miami, Fla./Florida Christian), Jeff Mathers (Elmira, N.Y./Elmira Free Academy) and catcher Mike Miranda (Miami, Fla./Florida Christian) who each committed during the NCAA Early Signing.
Marchus posted a perfect 5-0 record with a 1.45 ERA for the Panthers this spring. He struck out 19 batters and limited opponents to a .244 batting average against. Playing for head coach Mike Klekotka and assistant coach Danny Smith, Marchus helped Palmetto to a 20-7 overall record and advanced to the 6A District 16 Semifinal contest before losing to Killian. Marchus also pitched the Panthers to a win at the Sarasota Classic, a prestigious tournament Palmetto won to become the first Miami-Dade County team in six years to take home the title.
Manhattan is coming off its fifth consecutive 30+ win season under Leighton. The Jaspers notched key non-conference victories at #10 Miami, Seton Hall and won a three game series at West Virginia. Manhattan also qualified for the program's eighth straight MAAC Tournament.
