NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Manhattan Jaspers baseball team (20-31, 10-20 MAAC) fell heartbreakingly to the Gaels of Iona University (19-28, 15-14 MAAC) by a score of 8-7 inside City Park on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Looking to earn the final series of the campaign, the Jaspers opened the rubber game in style with three runs crossing the plate. After Ryan Lordier worked a leadoff walk, Guriyandel Salva and Vincent Samuel both deposited singles, which allowed Lordier to score the opening run.
On the next at-bat, Andreaus Lewis returned to the lineup and added another hit and RBI to his graduate campaign totals and drove home Salva from second.
Then, Justin Best lined out to right field on a sacrifice fly and brought home Samuel from third.
The Gaels responded with five runs before the Green and White responded by coming within one of the home team, courtesy of a Lewis and Best walk, before Hunter Sute loaded the bases with a single through the right side, and Hayden Jung-Goldberg reached on a fielder’s choice to score Lewis from third.
After Iona posted one more run to take a two-run advantage, the Jaspers continued to show their resiliency with a three-run sixth. Jackson Brinker battled on seven pitches and worked a leadoff walk before Lordier reached and eventually scored from Salva’s single.
Two batters later with runners on second and third, Lewis sent a fly ball into left field to drive home Samuel and tie the game at six.
The next batter was Justin Best, who sent a double down the left field line to give the Jaspers their seventh and go-ahead run.
Down the stretch, the Jaspers held strong, but the Gaels ultimately prevailed in the home half of the ninth with a two-run RBI walk-off down the right field line.
STATS AND NOTES
Infielder Vincent Samuel paced the Green and White with three hits in five at-bats, crossed the plate twice, added one RBI, and struck out once.
Catcher Andreaus Lewis registered another two-hit day in three at-bats, crossed the plate once, had two RBI’s, a walk, and a strikeout in the effort against Iona.
Outfielder Justin Best logged a 2-for-3 afternoon and provided the go-ahead double in the sixth inning. Best also added a triple, two RBIs, and a sacrifice fly to his ledger, while also posting a walk and strikeout.
Catcher Hunter Sute posted a 2-for-4 afternoon, with one walk and two strikeouts.
Infielder Guriyandel Salva added a 2-for-5 spot to his resume, with two runs, one RBI, one walk, and a stolen base.
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