Jaspers head to NCAA with another MAAC title

The Manhattan College Jaspers men’s baseball won four games in three days, emerging out of the elimination bracket to win their second straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Association (MAAC) title in a row and their third since 2006.

The win guarantees the Jaspers a spot in the NCAA baseball tournament, which starts later this week. The Jaspers drew the No. 4 seed in the Columbia, S.C. Regional and will play two-time defending national champion South Carolina on Friday at 4 p.m.

Manhattan (33-25) sealed the MAAC championship with a 3-2 over Canisius (33-27) in 11 innings on Sunday at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy, N.Y. 

Anchoring the win was pitcher Taylor Sewitt, the tournament MVP, who recorded 3 wins, 22 scoreless innings while striking out 20 opponents. First baseman Kyle Murphy had a big hit for Manhattan, lining an RBI single up the middle in the top of the 11th inning that scored sophomore shortstop Yoandry Galan for the game-winning run. It was Murphy’s only hit of the game and it couldn’t have come at a better time or perhaps, against a tougher reliever. Canisius’ Jon Fitzsimmons was the 2012 MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year.

Manhattan surrendered its only two runs of the game in the first inning after starter Matt Jordan gave up a leadoff hit and a pair of walks. 

Sewitt was quickly called out of the bullpen, only hours after earning his second victory of the tournament. He helped the Jaspers avoid elimination on Saturday evening, pitching the final two innings of a 5-4 walk-off victory over the same Golden Griffins. 

Despite Sewitt’s success at settling the team down, Canisius got two runs in the first inning on sophomore first baseman Jimmy Luppens single to center field. 

However, starting in the top of the third inning, the Jaspers chipped away at the lead. 

Galan drove a one out double down the left field line and junior second baseman Nick Camastro’s single brought him in to narrow the score to 2-1. 

Camastro was dominant with the bat on Sunday, hitting 4 for 6, to cap off a strong MAAC Tournament where he hit .476 (10-21) in five games.