Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two


RIVERDALE, N.Y. – The Fairfield University baseball team dropped a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader at Manhattan College this afternoon. The Jaspers (10-11; 4-1 MAAC) took the first game by a score of 6-2 and notched a 6-1 victory in the second game.

 

Senior Tucker Nathans went a combined 3-for-6 on the day for the Stags and inched closer to the Fairfield career hits record. Nathans, who has recorded 226 hits over the last four seasons, is two away from tying Ryan Bittner's program record of 228 which was set in 2002.

 

In the opening game, Fairfield (7-14; 1-4 MAAC) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-out double by sophomore Anthony Hajjar. Manhattan got the run back in the bottom half of the inning on a grounder off the bat of Mike McCann. In the bottom of the third, the Jaspers loaded the bases with no outs and took a 2-1 lead on a defensive miscue by the Stags. McCann later made it a 3-1 advantage with a sacrifice fly. Fairfield pulled within 3-2 on an RBI single by senior Carmine DeVito in the fourth inning but Manhattan scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and held on the for the 6-2 win. Hajjar finished the game 2-for-4 while DeVito was 2-for-2 with two walks. McCann, meanwhile, drove in five runs for the Jaspers.

 

Manhattan's John Soldinger (4-1) went the distance in the opening game, striking out seven batters and allowing two runs on seven hits in the win. Scott Gussaroff was charged with the loss after striking out six Jaspers and allowing six runs on three hits and five walks in seven innings. Senior Brian Comiskey threw a scoreless inning of relief.

 

The Stags opened the second game by taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by Nathans. The Jaspers responded in the bottom half of the inning as Austin Sheffield doubled to centerfield and knocked in two runs to give Manhattan a 2-1 lead. Jaspers starter Eric Luksis kept Fairfield off the board the rest of the way and got help from the Manhattan offense along the way as they scored once in both the second and third innings and twice in the fifth for the 6-1 win.

 

Luksis (1-2) tossed the complete game, giving up one run on five hits with six strikeouts for Manhattan. Sophomore Mark Bordonaro went six innings for Fairfield, striking out five batters and allowing six runs on five hits.

Fairfield and Manhattan finish the series tomorrow, April 3, at 12pm at Van Cortlandt Park.