WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY – Monmouth University's baseball team (13-13, 4-1 MAAC) used a five-run inning to take the second game of a doubleheader at Manhattan (7-15, 1-1 MAAC) Saturday, 5-4 after dropping the opener in the ninth inning, 6-5.
Trailing 4-0 in the fifth inning of Game Two, a seven-inning affair, the bottom of the order came through as Clay Koniencki (Schwenksville, PA/Malvern Prep) singled up the middle and two batters later, Robbie Alessandrine (Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) singled through the left side. Justin Trochiano (Morganville, NJ/Marlboro) singled to fill the bases before back-to-back walks pushed home two runs and cut the deficit to 4-2. Dan Shea (Wilmington, DE/Salesianum) singled to right to tie the game, and Cary Jacobson (Los Angeles, CA/Palisades) lifted a sacrifice fly to left to give the Hawks a 5-4 lead.
Manhattan built the lead with three runs in the second and one in the third. Richie Barrella scored on an error before Christian Santisteban singled home two more runs to make it 3-0 Jaspers. Anthony Rondon tripled home a run in the third to extend the lead to 4-0.
Ricky Dennis (Warrington, PA/Central Bucks South) earned his fourth win for MU with five innings pitched, allowing four runs, while freshman Jordan McCrum (Dallas, PA/Dallas Senior) picked up his first career save with two one-hit innings. Joey Rocchietti suffered the loss for the Jaspers in the nightcap, with Barella notching three hits for Manhattan.
MU led 5-4 entering the bottom of the ninth in the first game before Manhattan struck for a pair with Joe Credendino singling with one away and moving to second on a wild pitch. Jose Carrera's double to left tied things at five, and after Santisteban was intentionally walked and both moved up on wild pitch, Fabian Pena drove in the winning run with a single up the middle.
Barrella gave Manhattan a 1-0 first inning lead with an RBI single to left before the Hawks responded with three in the second. Alessandrine tripled home Pete Papcun (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) and Shaine Hughes (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) brought Alessandrine around on an RBI ground out. Grant Lamberton (Newark, DE/Salesianum) scored on a passed ball to cap the three-run frame. Ryan Bailey (Mount Kisco, NY/Fox Lane)'s fielder's choice plated a run in the third to make it 4-1 Monmouth.
The Jaspers scored on a Barrella RBI single in the third and tied it in the fifth with a Pena RBI double and a Michael Pfenninger sac bunt. Shea gave Monmouth the lead with an infield single in the sixth before the Jaspers won it in the ninth.
Frank Trimarco (Merrick, NY/Sanford H. Calhoun) allowed four runs on 10 hits through six, while Joe Molettiere (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) took the loss. Four Hawks had multi-hit games, as Shawn Kanwisher earned the win for Manhattan. Two Jaspers notched three-hit days.
The teams wrap up the series with a 12:00 p.m. first pitch on Monday afternoon at Dutchess Stadium.
