Box Score
EASTON, Pa. – Looking for a non-conference sweep, the Manhattan baseball team struggled in their series finale with Lafayette, falling 8-0 at Kamine Stadium. The Jaspers (21-25) were held to just five hits as the Leopards (10-40) tacked on runs late to salvage the final game.
Lafayette jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Andrew Ruck tripled off starting pitcher Michael Martin to drive in Kevin Casey with one out. Martin then settled down, retiring the side in order in two of the next three innings. Unfortunately, his offense could not muster a tying run as the Jaspers only got four base runners in the first five innings.
Martin would find trouble again in the home half of the fifth. After Jackson Kramer laced a one out double to right, Andrew Santomauro walked putting two runners on. Then, Casey smashed a three run homerun to left center to open up a four run lead. The Jasper southpaw hit the next batter but followed with consecutive pop-ups to end the inning. Jared Hirschberg would come on in relief in the sixth, striking out the side in order.
While the Leopards were putting up crooked numbers, pitcher Michael Massa was putting up zeros on the mound. He would begin by setting Manhattan down in order in the first before doing it again in the fifth, not allowing a runner past second for the first five frames.
The Jaspers biggest threat came in the top of the sixth as they loaded the bases with two outs. After Andrew Gorecki worked a one out walk, Ramon Ortega would follow two batters later before Christian Santisteban was hit by a pitch. They would be unable to capitalize though as Brendan Slattery was called out on strikes to end the inning.
Lafayette tacked on another run in the seventh off Kevin Bonanni who walked Scott Kelleher with the bases loaded for a 5-0 advantage. Chris Liquori would come on with the bases juiced and just one out, inducing a double play ball to get out of the jam. The Leopards added two more in the eighth on a two run triple from Santomauro and an RBI single from Casey off Matt Jordan for the final margin.
Martin (1-5) got the loss for the Jaspers giving up four runs on four hits in five innings while striking out three. Massa (3-6) picked up the win going seven shutout innings, allowing just five hits to go along with three walks and three strike outs. Derek Gussaroff then came on in relief and tossed two perfect innings, striking out the final two batters of the game.
Senior Nick Camastro picked up one hit on the day, giving him 217 for his career placing him sixth all-time in program history. He is now two hits shy of tying Eric Nieto (2005-08).
Manhattan returns to action on Sat., May 11 as they welcome in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) rival Fairfield for a three game series. The set begins on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon at Van Cortlandt Park. The Jaspers will honor its seven graduating seniors prior to game one with the Stags.
