Box Score
Trenton, NJ - Manhattan scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to come from behind to beat Siena, 8-7, and advance to the championship round of the 2011 MAAC Baseball Championship at Waterfront Park in Trenton.
With two outs and runners on first and third, Manhattan's Austin Sheffield hit a ground ball to third. Third baseman Adam Guinn short-hopped the throw to first baseman Will Cardona and the ball dribbled away towards the coach's box. Sheffield and Cardona collided on the play, allowing Manhattan's Chad Salem to come all the way around from first to score the winning run.
Top-seeded Manhattan (33-17) is now one win away from earning its second MAAC title and will return to Waterfront Park on Saturday at 6 p.m. for the potential crowning contest against the winner of the earlier elimination game between #3 Siena and #4 Canisius.
The wild playoff finish began in the eighth inning when Siena (27-29) erased Manhattan's 5-2 advantage by scoring five runs in the frame. Saints' second baseman Dan Paolini, the reigning two-time MAAC Player of the Year, blasted a three-run homer to left field to begin the scoring surge. It was Paolini's 56th career home run and tied the game at 5-5.
Siena worked two more runs on the scoreboard in the eighth inning, after Manhattan starting pitcher Eric Luksis left the ballgame. The Saints' scored the next two runs on designated hitter Kyle Baldani's bases loaded single to left field, which put Siena ahead 7-5. Luksis had seven strikeouts over seven innings of work before turning to the Jaspers' bullpen.
Manhattan got one run back in the bottom of the eighth inning when red-shirt sophomore catcher Ramon Ortega delivered a RBI double to left center field off Siena closer Ryan Poplawski. It drove in Jaspers' senior right fielder Mike McCann who singled earlier in the inning and led Manhattan with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate.
In the top of the ninth inning, the Jaspers got out of a big jam after Saints' shortstop Vincent Citro worked his way to third base with no outs. Citro walked, stole second, and then advanced to third on a throwing error. Although, Manhattan reliever Jacob Marchus erased the threat as he clamped down on Siena forcing two ground outs and a line out to Salem at third base. Salem's superb lunging catch on a laser that was hit to him saved a run from being scored.
Onorati gave Manhattan a chance in the bottom of the ninth inning trailing 7-6 when he led off the frame by lacing a double off the left field wall. Jaspers' sophomore shortstop Nick Camastro moved Onorati to third base with a sacrifice bunt. Salem drew a walk to give Manhattan runners on the corners with one out. In a lefty vs. lefty situation, McCann was called out on strikes as Manhattan came down to its final out.
In the Jaspers' wild final at bat, Sheffield sent a ground ball to Guinn at third base. Guinn fielded the ball and came up short on his throw to Saints' first baseman William Cardona. It drew Cardona off the bag as he collided with Sheffield who was hustling down the first base line. Meanwhile, Onorati scored the tying run and Salem was chugging around the bases as the ball trickled away. Cardona finally collected the loose ball, but his throw to the plate was wide as Salem scored the game winning run.
Manhattan sophomore outfielder Anthony Vega played a major role in the Jaspers' offense by driving in three runs and going 2-for-3 from the plate. Vega launched his third home run of the season in the fourth inning to give Manhattan a 3-2 edge. He turned on a 3-1 pitch launching the two-run shot over the left field fence.
The Jaspers led by as many as three runs going ahead 5-2 in the sixth inning after a fielding error by Cardona at first base on a ball hit by Vega. Sheffield and Ortega scored on the play. Ortega finished the game with two doubles and one RBI, while Sheffield also had two hits and he drove in Manhattan's first run of the ballgame in the first inning.
Siena starting pitcher Zach Hartman lasted seven innings, logged six strikeouts and yielded four earned runs. Poplawski was credited with the loss for the Saints and Marchus earned the win for Manhattan. Marchus was hitless working the final two innings.
Manhattan advances to the MAAC Championship Round for the first time since 2007.
Post-game interview with Manhattan head coach Kevin Leighton.