Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Manhattan

Baseball 5/22/2008 4:00:00 AM Canisius College Athletics

Baseball Falls to Rider 4-3 in MAAC Tournament

TRENTON, N.J. ? A two-RBI single by Rider first baseman Sean Olson in the seventh and 2.2 scoreless innings of reliever from James Hayes led Rider University to a 4-3 victory over the Canisius College baseball team on Thursday evening in the first round of the 2008 MAAC Baseball Tournament at Waterfront Park in Trenton, N.J.

The top-seeded Golden Griffins will face No. 2 seed Manhattan in an elimination game on Friday. The schools will meet at 11 a.m.
Rider got on the board in the top of the first inning as Steve Galella reached on a one-out walk. After Olson flied out to right field, Mason Heyne scored Galella with a double to left center.

Canisius (41-12) responded with a run in the bottom of the first as Ryan Asis led off with a walk and moved to second on a single by Branson Joseph. A double play by Kevin Mailloux retired Asis at third and Mailloux at first. Kevin Mahoney singled home Joseph home to tie the game with two outs. Adam Donato doubled to the right-center field gap on a ball that was ruled as a ground-rule double to put runners at second and third. Kevin Reimer walked to load the bases but Brian Burton struck out to end the inning.

Canisius took the lead in the bottom of the third as Mailloux doubled down the left-field line with one out. Mahoney sent a fly ball deep to center field that was caught by Matt McCulloum, who fell down making the grab. Mailloux was tagging on the play and scored all the way from second, beating the relay throw.

Rider (27-25) tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth as McCulloum singled to start the inning and Hayes reached on an error by Mailloux to put runners at first and second. After a sacrifice bunt by Galella advanced the runners, Olson would ground out to Alec Cabello to score McCulloum and tie the game.

Rider took the lead in the seventh getting a leadoff single by Eric Woodrow and then a bunt single by McCulloum. On the play, Canisius starter Alex MacKenzie would trip in an attempt to cover the bag, allowing the ball to roll away and letting Woodrow to advance to third base. MacKenzie would get Hayes to strike out on three pitches for the first out of the inning. After a walk to Galella loaded the bases, Olson sent a line drive over the head of MacKenzie and back into center field to score two runs.

Canisius responded in the bottom of the seventh, as Cabello and Asis started the inning with singles. After a sacrifice bunt by Joseph, Hayes relieved Rider starter Mike Petrowski with runners on second and third and one out. Mailloux sent the first pitch to center field, scoring Cabello on a sacrifice fly and allowing Asis to advance to third. Mahoney flied out to left to end the inning.

Canisius got the tying run on base in the ninth when Ian Choy led off with a single to short. After a sacrifice bunt by Cabello moved pinch runner Perry Silverman to second, the Griffs couldn't get the game-tying hit as Asis grounded out to short and Joseph struck out to end the game.

MacKenzie (6-3) went the distance, allowing 10 hits, four runs, three earned, two walks and striking out five. Petrowski (2-5) got the win by going 6.1 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits while walking four and striking out four. Hayes got the save by allowing just one hit in 2.2 innings of scoreless relief.

Canisius and Manhattan will play at 11 a.m. in the first elimination game of the day at the MAAC Tournament. The winner of that game will play at 7 p.m. in the second elimination game of the day, taking on the loser of the 3 p.m. contest between Siena and Rider.

Game Notes: Canisius drops to 0-5 all-time in postseason games... The Griffs dropped their sixth game of the season away from home, against 31 victories... Donato batted in the fifth spot for the first time this season after leading off in 39 of his 40 previous starts... MacKenzie threw nine innings for the second time this season, posting a complete-game victory over Iona March 29... Mahoney and Mailloux are now tied for the single-season record with 51 RBI... Eight different Golden Griffins recorded a single hit in the game.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Ryan Asis: IF/OF; 5' 7"; Senior

#33 Brian Burton: 1B; 6' 1"; Freshman

#22 Alec Cabello: SS; 5' 10"; Junior

#17 Ian Choy: OF; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#11 Adam Donato: OF; 5' 9"; Senior

#2 Branson Joseph: OF; 5' 11"; Junior

#35 Alex MacKenzie: P; 6' 0"; Junior

#4 Kevin Mahoney: 3B; 6' 0"; Junior

#12 Kevin Mailloux: 2B; 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior

#28 Kevin Reimer: C; 6' 0"; Senior

#24 Perry Silverman: OF; 5' 10"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#7 Ryan Asis
: 5' 7"; Senior
: IF/OF

#33 Brian Burton
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: 1B

#22 Alec Cabello
: 5' 10"; Junior
: SS

#17 Ian Choy
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: OF

#11 Adam Donato
: 5' 9"; Senior
: OF

#2 Branson Joseph
: 5' 11"; Junior
: OF

#35 Alex MacKenzie
: 6' 0"; Junior
: P

#4 Kevin Mahoney
: 6' 0"; Junior
: 3B

#12 Kevin Mailloux
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior
: 2B

#28 Kevin Reimer
: 6' 0"; Senior
: C

#24 Perry Silverman
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: OF