DeLand, FL - Graduate student John Cain (Middletown, NY / Lafayette) struck out eight while scattering one run on two hits over 7.0 dominating innings, lifting Manhattan to a dominating 5-2 win over reigning NCAA Super Regional participant Stetson in the final game of the RyCass Classic at Melching Field.
The Jaspers improve to 1-2 while the Hatters fall to 0-3.
Cain immediately set the tone for the day in the bottom of the first, as the towering lefty stranded a pair in scoring position with a three-pitch strikeout to end the threat.
In the top of the second, sophomore Santiago Riera (Rioclaro, Venezuela / Brunswick (CT)) opened the scoring with his first career home run, a solo shot to left field.
Eric Foggo tied the game up for Stetson in the bottom of the fourth with a one-out, RBI single, before Cain hunkered down and induced an inning-ending, double-play grounder.
Manhattan immediately answered with three unearned runs in the top of the fifth. The Jaspers would break the deadlock on Jonathan Barditch's (Fr., Miami, FL / Belen Jesuit Prep) RBI fielder's choice grounder, before senior Richie Barrella (Larchmont, NY / Canterbury Prep) crushed a two-run homer to left field in staking the visitors to a 4-1 lead.
In the top of the seventh inning, Manhattan padded the lead with a single run on Shawn Blake's (GS, Stratford, CT / Elon) two-out RBI double that chased in Barditch.
Cain appeared to get stronger as the game went on and retired the final eight batters he faced, before leaving with a 5-1 advantage after seven innings.
Junior RHP T.J. Stuart (Milford, CT / Joseph A. Foran) closed out the victory with five punchouts over the final two frames, highlighted by striking out the side in the ninth.
?? - Cain (W | 7.0 ip - 8k - 2H - 1 ER)
— Manhattan Baseball (@JaspersBaseball) February 17, 2019
?? - Riera (1-for-3 - HR - SAC)
?? - Barrella (1-for-4 - HR - 2 RBI)
?? - Stuart (2.0 ip - 5K - 1ER) pic.twitter.com/65YOShMVMJ
LHP Ryan Stark was saddled with the loss, yielding four runs, one earned, on two hits with three strikeouts and a walk over 4.2 innings.
Manhattan will return to action on Saturday, February 23 at Appalachian State with first pitch tabbed for 2:00 pm.