NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY (May 3, 2003) - The Manhattan College baseball team lost both games of a MAAC doubleheader this afternoon to MAAC rival Niagara. The Purple Eagles edged the Jaspers in game one, 8-7, and completed the sweep with a 7-3 win in the nightcap. With the wins, Niagara jumps ahead of the Jaspers for third place in the MAAC standings. Manhattan moves to 20-21 overall and 10-8 in the MAAC, while Niagara evens its record at 20-20 and is 12-7 in the MAAC.
Although the Jaspers grabbed the early lead in game one, the Purple Eagles used a five-run second inning to break the game open and held on for the victory. Freshman
John Fitzpatrick (Yonkers, NY) and sophomore
Eric Fierro (Levittown, NY) homered for the Jaspers in the losing effort.
In the second game of the twinbill, the Jaspers and Purple Eagles were tied at 3-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth when Niagara erupted for four runs on three basehits. The Eagles scored their first run of the inning on a bases-loaded walk before Reed Eastley delivered a two-run single to make it 6-3. Niagara capped the inning with a double steal to extend the lead to 7-3, which would prove to be the final margin as the Jaspers went quietly in the top of the seventh.
Freshman
Chris Cody (Brewster, NY) was roughed up for seven runs on nine hits but struck out seven batters. He is now 4-2 on the season.
Phil Kuhner (Queens, NY), Fitzpatrick and
Chris Gaskin (Rego Park, NY) all drove in runs for the Jaspers.
Manhattan and Niagara close out the three-game set tomorrow afternoon at 12:00 PM.
