Box Score

The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team established its first win streak of the season with its third straight victory after defeating Manhattan at home, 7-4, in a non-conference game at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex in Teaneck, NJ.  With the victory, the Knights improve to 8-11-1 on the season, while the Jaspers fall to 4-17 overall.

After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the first, FDU scored a single run in the third and two runs in all three middle innings to take a 7-2 lead.  Manhattan scored two in the ninth before the Knights sealed the win.

Senior Matt Holsman (Coral Springs, FL/Stoneman Douglas) went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a stolen base to lead FDU's nine-hit attack.  Freshman Riley Moonan (Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero North) continued his hot play by going 2-for-3, including a ringing double off the right-field fence, while collecting a RBI and a run scored.  Junior Eric Anderson (Allendale, N.J./Northern Highlands) had two RBIs, and fellow classmate Kyle Weeks (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) scored twice and collected a RBI.

Freshman Ryan MacDonald (Bethpage, N.Y./Island Trees) made his first career start on the mound and pitched well.  The southpaw allowed two earned runs on two hits, while walking three and striking out two.  Anderson (2-2) picked up the victory by pitching three scoreless innings during the middle frames.  The lefty allowed three hits, walked one and hit a batter.  Senior Mike Eliasen (Swedesboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) picked up his first save of the season by getting the final two outs of the game.

The Jaspers scored two in the top of the first with no one out on Ramon Ortega's two-run single to take an early 2-0 lead.

Moonan's one-out double off the right field fence in the bottom of the second scored Weeks to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Back-to-back RBI sacrifice flies by freshmen Mike Hewson (Sayville, NY/Sayville) and Pat McClure (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius ), scoring Weeks and Moonan, gave the Knights the lead for good at 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth.

Anderson drove home Holsman on a RBI fielder's choice in the bottom of the fifth, and freshman Jordan Ritz (Newport News, Va./Woodside) picked up a RBI being hit by a pitch, allowing Eliasen to score and extend the lead to 5-2.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, consecutive RBI singles by Anderson and Weeks gave FDU a pair of insurance runs to give the Knights a 7-2 lead.  Holsman and Kresky, who both singled in the inning, scored on the base hits.

Freshman Eric Snyder (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh) came in to pitch the ninth inning for FDU but struggled as he allowed two earned runs on one hit and walked three, forcing Eliasen into the game to close the door and pick up the save.

Anthony Vega went 3-for-5 with a run scored to lead Manhattan's offense with Ortega collecting three RBIs.

Joe Mortillaro was charged with the loss for the Jaspers.  The starter allowed three earned runs on three hits, while walking two, striking out two and hitting a batter in 3.0 innings of work.

“This was a great win for our ballclub today,” Head Coach Gary Puccio said.  “The game was a little more special to me because we were playing my old program.  Without losing site of our long-term goals, the team is playing well and gelling together.  I am looking for more good things to come down the road.”

The Knights will return to action on Friday, March 30 when they host second-place Sacred Heart in FDU's NEC home-opening four-game series.  First-pitch at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.