Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Manhattan baseball team dropped a 7-3 decision in the second contest of a three game series at Western Carolina (4-2) on Saturday afternoon. Jaspers' starting pitcher Eric Luksis worked through six innings and struck out five batters as Manhattan (1-1) suffered its first loss of 2011 at Hennon Stadium.
Coming off an 11-6 victory on Friday, the Jaspers' offense got off to another solid start scoring two runs in the first inning. Manhattan lead off hitter Mark Onorati and sophomore outfielder Anthony Vega each worked their way on base with Onorati scoring the first run of the ballgame on a throwing error. Senior third baseman Chad Salem followed with his fifth RBI in two games as he laced a single through the right side to get Vega across the plate.
Western Carolina got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning with heads up base running by Cameron Dullnig. The junior outfielder recorded a one-out double to right center, and then after senior Matt Johns flew out to center, Dullnig stole third base and scored on a throwing error.
Onorati pushed Manhattan out to a 3-1 advantage in the second inning. Jaspers' designated hitter Kyle Murphy singled and then moved into scoring position by stealing second base. It set the stage for Onorati's one-out RBI double down the left field line. Murphy finished the contest 2-for-3 from the plate.
The Catamounts tied the ballgame in the third inning with Johns' RBI double to right field and sophomore Tyler White's sacrifice fly, which locked the game at 3-3. Johns and Dullnig each scored two runs in the contest.
On the hill, Luksis rolled through the fourth and fifth innings, retiring six straight batters. But in the sixth inning, Western Carolina worked the go-ahead run off of the sophomore left-hander. Catamounts' catcher Stephen Notaro doubled in Johns from third base to take a 4-3 lead.
Manhattan turned the ball over to freshman right-hander Jared Hirschberg in the seventh inning. The 6'2" 225-pound product of Katonah, N.Y. cruised through the seventh yielding just one hit, but he ran into trouble in the eighth inning when Western Carolina tacked on three more runs. Senior shortstop Austin Schultz put the Catamounts ahead 7-3 with a two-RBI single.
Western Carolina starter Jordan Smith pitched seven innings, allowing six hits and recording three strikeouts. The Catamounts' bullpen did not let up a hit in the final two frames.
Manhattan and Western Carolina will play the rubber match on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Cullowhee, N.C.
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