April 6, 2005

Box Score

RIVERDALE, N.Y. (www.lafayette.edu) - Matt Rizzotti hit two home runs and three pitchers held Lafayette to seven hits as Manhattan dealt the Leopards an 8-2 setback in non-league baseball on Wednesday afternoon.

Gary Diaz led off the bottom half of the first with a single, stole second and scored on a single by Rizzotti to give Manhattan a 1-0 lead. The Jaspers got another run when Nick Derba scampered home on a wild pitch.

Lafayette dented the scoreboard in the third on an RBI triple by Ian Law down the right field line. Rob Fioretti, who drew a two-out walk, scored on the play. Manhattan got the run back in its half of the inning when Rizzotti homered to right field.

Rizzotti went deep again in the fifth to give Manhattan a 4-1 lead, and the Jaspers broke the contest open with four in the sixth. Marc Giordano singled with two outs to bring home the last two runs.

Law closed the scoring in the seventh with a single that plated James Conrad, who started the frame with a leadoff walk.

Kyle Wirtz improved to 2-2 with the victory. Brian Cope was the first of five Leopard pitchers to head to the mound and was hit with the loss.

Lafayette will belatedly open Patriot League play on Saturday, April 9 when Army visits Class of 1978 Stadium for a four-game set. A ceremony recognizing Hilton Rahn '51 will be held before Saturday's game, and the field will be named in his honor. First pitch on Saturday is slated for 12:15 p.m. and 12:05 p.m. on Sunday.