NEWARK, NJ – Manhattan scored four runs in the first inning and the Jaspers went on to defeat NJIT, 8-1, Tuesday afternoon at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.

Manhattan, which rapped out 13 hits, had five different players' record two hits apiece.  CF Mark Onorati, the leadoff hitter and 3B Chad Salem went 2-for-4 with two runs while 1B Austin Sheffield was 2-for-3 and SS Nick Camastro was 2-for-4.

The Jaspers LF Mike Murphy was 2-for-5, with four runs batted in and one run. 

Manhattan set the tone in the first inning tacking four runs on the board on a two-out triple to left field by Murphy scoring RF Mike McCann and Salem.  McCann reached base on a hit-by-pitch and Salem singled to left field.

Freshman RHP Kevin Bonanni, the first of five Manhattan pitchers, earned his first win of the season with a five-inning effort that included one hit and six strikeouts.

The starting pitcher for NJIT was sophomore LHP Tripp Davis (1-3), who pitched four innings and was charged with seven hits and four earned runs, striking out two.

Three Highlander pitchers followed Davis – sophomore RHP Mark Leiter Jr. pitching three innings giving up one hit and fanning three.  RHP Kyle Burdi pitched a scoreless eighth inning and LHP Austin McAuliffe closed the game out in the ninth with one strikeout.

NJIT (2-5), which finished with four hits (three singles and one home run), got one-hit apiece from C Bryan Bleakley, C Scott Brosman, 1B Tyler Kapp and 3B Jeff Peterson.

The Highlanders got their only run of the game from Brosman, who entered the game behind the plate for NJIT in the bottom of the eighth.  The freshman led off the top of the ninth inning recording his first collegiate home run over the left field fence.

NJIT will return to action this weekend at the Strike Out Cancer Tournament hosted by Seton Hall.

The Highlanders will play a single game on Friday at 4pm vs. Stony Brook.  On Sunday, March 20 NJIT will face Fordham at 10am and host Seton Hall at 2pm.