Manhattan at Long Island
NEW YORK (Interstat) — Trevor Hansen hit two home runs and drove in three runs, and Ryan Lordier had four hits and four RBIs as the Manhattan Jaspers routed the Long Island Sharks 11-1 on Tuesday afternoon at Long Island University Field.
Manhattan improved to 19-27, while Long Island dropped to 25-18. The Jaspers pounded out 15 hits and held the Sharks to five. Starting pitcher Trey Packen threw four innings, allowing one earned run on no hits while striking out three, and Landon Kuntzelman followed with three hitless innings of relief, striking out four.
The game turned decisively in the opening frame. Lordier singled to start the top of the first, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on Andreaus Lewis’ single. Justin Best singled, but Hansen struck out to end the inning. Still, Manhattan had a 1-0 lead.
Long Island threatened in the bottom of the first. Elijah Fairchild walked, and Mike Polubinski singled to put runners at the corners. But Polubinski was caught stealing second, and the inning ended with no damage.
Manhattan broke the game open in the second. Jackson Babione walked and stole second, Hayden Jung-Goldberg was hit by a pitch, and Jackson Brinker sacrificed both runners into scoring position. Lordier then singled to drive in two runs. Lordier stole second but was later caught stealing third, but the Jaspers led 3-0.
Long Island got its only run in the bottom of the second. Nick Matson doubled, Cord Dobrinski was hit by a pitch, and both moved up on a walk to Jake Kelleher. Matthew McGurk grounded into a double play that scored Matson, but the inning ended with the Sharks trailing 3-1.
Manhattan padded its lead in the third. Justin Best was hit by a pitch, Hansen singled, and Babione singled to drive in Best. The Jaspers led 4-1.
The game remained 4-1 until the sixth, when Manhattan erupted. Hansen led off with a solo home run. Babione singled, Jung-Goldberg singled, and after Babione was caught stealing, Brinker singled. Lordier singled home Jung-Goldberg, and a wild pitch scored Brinker, extending the lead to 7-1.
The seventh inning put the game out of reach. Lewis homered to lead off. Best walked, and Hansen followed with a two-run homer. After a pitching change, Lordier singled home Jung-Goldberg, who had been hit by a pitch and moved to third on an error and a flyout. Dylan Mayer singled, but the inning ended with Manhattan leading 11-1.
Kuntzelman closed the game with two scoreless innings, allowing only a double to Jack Ryan in the fifth. For the Sharks, starter Nic Benhardt gave up three hits and one earned run in one inning. Five Long Island relievers combined to allow 12 hits and 10 earned runs over the final six innings.
The most critical sequence was Manhattan’s two-run second inning, which turned a one-run lead into a three-run advantage. Long Island briefly answered with its lone run, but the Jaspers never let the Sharks threaten again. Hansen’s two home runs highlighted a day in which he went 3-for-4. Lordier finished 4-for-5 with four RBIs and two stolen bases. Lewis also homered and drove in two.
Hansen entered the game with a modest recent stretch: in his previous four games, he had five hits in 18 at-bats with one home run and four RBIs. His two-homer performance marked his best output of the season.
Manhattan returns to action Thursday at Iona for a three-game series. Long Island visits Fairleigh Dickinson in a three-game set starting Thursday.
Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Long Island 7, Manhattan 3, and the Interstat ELO system had given the Sharks a 65.20 percent probability of winning.