PURCHASE, N.Y. — The St. Elizabeth University baseball team battled throughout a competitive doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, but the Eagles were swept by Manhattanville, falling 2-1 in the opener before dropping a 6-5 walk-off decision in Game 2.
Game 1: Manhattanville 2, St. Elizabeth 1
The opener was a tightly contested pitcher's duel that came down to the final inning.
Manhattanville broke through first in the bottom of the third, using a pair of singles and a fielder's choice to take a 1-0 lead. The Eagles answered in the top of the seventh, capitalizing on a Manhattanville error to even the score.
After Owen Murphy reached on an error, Luke Cordiano entered as a pinch runner and immediately made an impact, stealing second and advancing to third on a groundout. With two outs, Cameron Vicari came through with a clutch RBI single to center field, scoring Cordiano and tying the game at 1-1.
The Valiants responded in the bottom half, taking advantage of an error and back-to-back hits to score the go-ahead run and hold on for the 2-1 victory.
Vicari drove in the Eagles' lone run, while Nick Villalba recorded the team's other hit. On the mound, Nic Disciascio turned in a strong start, allowing just one run over 5.0 innings while striking out four. John Santomassino pitched in relief for St. Elizabeth.
Game 2: Manhattanville 6, St. Elizabeth 5
St. Elizabeth put together one of its best offensive performances of the season in the second game, collecting 15 hits and building a three-run lead, but Manhattanville rallied late and walked it off in the bottom of the ninth.
The Eagles jumped on the board in the first inning when Harrison Curran scored on an RBI single by Owen Murphy. St. Elizabeth added another run in the second after Sam Porch Jr. scored on a throwing error, then extended the lead in the fourth when Chris Povemba delivered an RBI single up the middle.
After Manhattanville got one back in the fifth, the Eagles responded in both the fifth and sixth innings. Chris Valencia scored during a rundown play in the fifth, and James Morello followed with an RBI single in the sixth to push the St. Elizabeth lead to 5-2.
Manhattanville chipped away with a run in the sixth and then tied the game with two runs in the seventh. In the bottom of the ninth, the Valiants loaded the bases and ended the contest with a walk-off RBI single.
Morello led the offense with a 3-for-5 day and an RBI, while Curran also finished 3-for-5. Sam Porch Jr. went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored, and Povemba added two hits, an RBI, and two stolen bases. Murphy also drove in a run, while Trevor Policastro contributed two hits at the plate and started on the mound.
Policastro gave the Eagles a strong effort on the hill, allowing just two runs (one earned) over 5.0 innings with three strikeouts.
