Box score
BURLINGTON, VT--Manhattan completed a productive day with a comfortable 11-2 win over NJIT in a victory that ran the Jaspers' winning streak to eight in a row, including two in Friday's three-team baseball doubleheader played on the University of Vermont's Centennial Field.
Earlier in the day, Manhattan, which is atop the 2009 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings and shared the 2008 MAAC regular season crown, rallied for two runs in the ninth inning of a 7-6 win over Vermont.
The Jaspers pounded out 18 hits, including six doubles and a home run against three NJIT pitchers. Manhattan scored twice in the top of the first inning and then sandwiched single runs in the second and fourth innings around a three-run third, before tacking on four more runs in the top of the eighth.
NJIT got its two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning on a two-run homer for sophomore 3B John Berner, who continued his productive hitting despite a gap of eight days between the Manhattan game and the previous game for the Highlanders, played on April 2 against Marist. He is 7-for-15, including his first two college home runs, over the last four games.
The winning pitcher for Manhattan was RHP Mike Giordano (5-1), who stymied the Highlanders through the first seven innings. The freshman scattered four hits, while striking out seven and walking none. Junior RHP Zac Goyer pitched the last two innings and allowed both NJIT runs. Berner's home run was the only hit against Goyer, but he also walked two in his two innings.
Senior LHP Matt Melody (0-4) started and took the loss for the Highlanders, lasting five innings and allowing 10 hits and seven runs. He struck out five and walked two.
Junior RHP Chris Parenti came on next and allowed four runs (three earned) in three innings. He allowed seven hits and a walk, while striking out two. Freshman RHP Jeff Salerno finished up for NJIT, tossing a scoreless ninth inning that included one hit in his second career mound appearance.
Manhattan got hits from nine different players, paced by RF Mike McCann, who was 5-for-6, including a double. McCann scored three runs and drove in two. DH Anthony Armenio was 3-for-5 and the Jaspers' leadoff man, CF Anthony Nieto was 2-for-4 with an RBI that came on his 10th home run of the season, a solo shot after the first two batters had struck out to open the second inning. Nieto had led off the game with a double and scored the first run on a single by McCann.
NJIT got four singles along with Berner's home run and the senior tri-captain, LF Thomas Farina accounted for two of the Highlanders hits, finishing the day 2-for-4. The other hits came from DH Dan Moreno and 2B Matt Tomczyk.
Berner's home run came with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning. James D'Aloia, in the game as a sub in center field, led off the frame with a walk, but Manhattan's Goyer got the next two batters before serving up Berner's blast. Salerno followed with a walk before Goyer ended the game with his second strikeout of the inning.
Manhattan and NJIT will both play Vermont on Saturday, with the Highlanders scheduled to face the Catamounts in a 3:30 pm start.
