FLEMINGTON, N.J. (April 18, 2019) – Manhattanville College scored four times over the final two innings to top the FDU-Florham baseball team 10-8 Thursday afternoon.

FDU falls to 11-21 and 4-12 within the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom.

Sophomore Joseph Kastner earned the start for the Devils and had an up and down first two frames. Over the two innings, he allowed three walks and a single but surrendered no runs. He helped out his cause by striking out three hitters in the second inning. The Devils struck first, scoring an unearned run in the second. With runners on the corners, junior Kevin Smiegocki went the opposite way on a 2-2 pitch, dropping a run-scoring single into right field.

The Valiants battled back to take the lead in the third, scoring two runs on one hit. FDU answered with two of their own in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore Chris Ciancimino led off with single and moved to third on a stolen base and a ground out. Freshman Tyler McCulloch lofted a fly ball to right field that was deep to plate Ciancimino from third. The following hitter was junior Jonathan Biale, who pushed FDU in front 3-2 as he smashed a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall for a solo home run.

Manhattanville struck for single runs in the fourth and fifth before FDU regained the lead in the home half of the fifth. Biale was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two down before freshman Brian Schnack hit what seemingly was a ground ball to second base. Instead, the ball went under the fielder's glove and allowed two runs to touch the plate.

The back-and-forth affair continued in the sixth, as Manhattanville notched two runs on two hits. Senior Chris Portelli entered with runners on the corners and two outs and was able to end the frame with a fielder's choice to shortstop. The Devils pushed across three runs in the sixth, as sophomore Joe Moskowitz started the rally with a leadoff free pass. Sophomore Matt Nodoro brought him in with a single before Ciancimino also singled to put two runners on. A double steal moved both men up a base before junior Michael Tufano notched a sacrifice fly to score Nodoro. McCulloch was up next and belted an RBI to right-center, giving FDU the 8-6 edge.

Portelli allowed a leadoff single in the seventh, but a 5-4-3 double play erased the runner. Manhattanville scored a run on a groundout in the eighth, before pushing the final three across in the ninth. FDU made it interesting, as Biale and Schnack each worked five-pitch walks to put the winning run at the plate. The Devils next two hitters were retired, leaving both runners stranded.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
•    Ciancimino established career-highs with three hits and three runs scored.
•    Biale notched his first career home run and also worked two walks while scoring twice.
•    The Devils swiped five bags, led by two from Ciancimino.

UP NEXT
The Devils will take on the Valiants in a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon in Purchase, N.Y. The twin bill will begin at 11 a.m. as weather forecasts moved the start time up two hours.