May 5, 2007
FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Manhattan College moved to 19-0 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) this afternoon as the Jaspers took both games of a doubleheader from Fairfield on Alumni Diamond. The Stags (13-26, 7-12 MAAC) fell by a score of 9-4 in game one while Manhattan (30-12) recorded a 5-0 shutout in the nightcap.
Senior Ed Kamintzky (Astoria, N.Y.) took the loss the first game, but moved up in the career charts in the process. Kamintzky (3-4) went six innings allowing seven runs, six earned, on eight hits with five strikeouts. With his strikeouts, the lefty surpassed Mike Beaudoin, '79, for second all-time in the category by recording his 199th career strikeout. Legendary Keefe Cato, '79, is the strikeouts leader with 239.
Jesse Darcy (8-2) earned the win for the Jaspers going seven innings and giving up nine hits but allowing just one run. He also struck out four batters. Jeremy Shaw threw two innings of relief allowing three unearned runs on two hits.
The Jaspers used a five-run seventh inning to put the game out of reach for the Stags after six very close innings. Manhattan took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning as Nunzio Franzese came around to score on a throwing error. Fairfield threatened in the bottom half of the inning loading the bases with two outs but was unable to cross the plate. The Jaspers tacked on another run in the top of the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Dom Lombardi.
Fairfield made the score 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth as junior Brian Rudolph (Washington Twp., N.J.) touched the plate on a groundout by junior Patrick Hoban (Malvern, Pa.). Manhattan got the run back in the top of the sixth on a solo homerun by Ruben Perez before putting up five runs in the seventh inning. The Jaspers also scored in the top of the ninth inning on a solo shot by Franzese.
Fairfield rallied in the bottom of the ninth by scoring three runs off of Shaw. With runners on second and third with one out, sophomore Dave Jermine (North Haven, Conn.) singled to third base to plate Hoban. Rookie Jason Rago (Fairfield, Conn.) followed with a single to right center to score junior Albie DeSimone (Pelham, N.Y.). After Rago stole second base, Jermine was able to touch home on a wild pitch. Shaw would settle down and get the final two batters.
Rago and Jermine both went 3-for-7 on the day with one run batted in.
Manhattan got a strong pitching performance from Josh Santerre (7-2) in game two and added just enough offense to defeat the Stags, 5-0. Santerre scattered five hits over seven innings with eight strikeouts for the win. Freshman Rob Gariano (Nutley, N.J.) took the loss going 6.1 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits with two strikeouts.
The Jaspers took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning with Kevin Nieto starting things off with a two-RBI single to left field to score Franzese and Perez. Nieto then came around to score on a single by Rene Ruiz. Fairfield threatened in the bottom of the sixth inning by loading the bases with two outs but Santerre was able to pitch out of the jam. Manhattan added two runs in the top of the seventh inning on an RBI singles by Nieto and Nick Derba.
Fairfield will wrap up the series against Manhattan tomorrow, May 6, at noon. Prior to the start of Sunday's game, the Stags will recognize their three seniors.
