Siena Earns 24-3 Win Over Manhattan in Game One of the 2008 MAAC Baseball Championship
MAAC Sports
Trenton, N.J. ? Senior third baseman Jacob Willis went 5-for-6 to lead third-seeded Siena College (28-24) past #2 Manhattan College (31-19-1), 24-3, in game one of the 2008 MAAC Baseball Championship at Waterfront Park.
The Saints first got on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning, as Willis, the MAAC Player of the Year, registered a single to right field to bring in Chris Klepps. Rick Seltzer followed up later with a grand slam home run over the center field wall to give Siena a 5-0 lead after two and a half innings.
In the top of the fourth, Anthony Giansanti crossed home plate after Moises Rivera doubled down the left field line, and Eric Mruczek posted another grand slam homer for Siena. Giansanti then doubled to center field to allow Seltzer to score and put Siena up, 11-0.
In the fifth inning, the Saints took a 13-0 lead as Willis singled to center field to bring in Klepps and Rivera.
Manhattan got on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Mark Onorati crossed home plate when Kevin Nieto doubled to left field.
Siena then scored 11 more times in the top of the eighth inning, starting with Juan Amador knocking a two-run homer to left center field. Seltzer sent a two-run double down the right field line, and Jason DeFilippo looped a two-run triple to right center. DeFilippo then scored off a single by Nick Messinger, followed by an RBI single by Kevin Quaranto and a two-run double by Klepps. Willis doubled to left field to plate Klepps to make it 24-1 in favor of the Saints.
Manhattan added two more runs in the bottom of the ninth as Erik Lucas scored on a fielder’s choice and Austin Sheffield scored on a sacrifice fly by Onorati.
Siena’s Craig Chaput (5-7) went the distance to earn the win, striking out seven batters. Manhattan’s Dan Forman fell to 8-4 on the year.
Siena will play the winner of tonight’s game between #1 Canisius College and #4 Rider University in Game 4 on Friday, May 23, at 3:00 p.m. Manhattan will play the loser of tonight’s game tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.