MADISON, N.J. – The Manhattanville baseball team fell in a back-and-forth affair with the FDU-Florham Devils on Friday afternoon by the score of 10-9 in 10 innings. Sophomore Bobby Guerra (Bronx, N.Y./Arlington) had the go-ahead hit in the extra frame to put the Valiants ahead, but the Devils came back and scored three in the bottom of the inning for the walk-off victory.
 
The Valiants sent junior right-hander Alex Basso (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) to the hill in search of a Friday victory from one of their top starters. Basso surrendered a first inning run but came back and retired the Devils with ease in the bottom of the second inning.
 
Manhattanville put together a four-run rally in the top of the fourth as sophomore Kevin Brady (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep), and junior Hans Arias (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond) reached base, after getting two outs on the next play the Valiants were in need of a two-out rally. Sophomore Nick Euvino (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) tied the game with a hit to bring in Brady, and the next three batters reached including a two-run double by Guerra.
 
The Devils answered back with three runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at four. Basso and FDU-Florham starter Chris Roberts matched innings in the fourth, fifth and both allowed runs in the sixth to make the score 5-5 heading into the eighth inning with no scoring done in the seventh inning.
 
In the top of the eighth, Arias reached with a one out double, and two batters later Euvino walked to put two on with two down. Senior Sean Ferguson (Astoria, N.Y./Xavier) singled and moved up to second on an error in the field, which allowed Manhattanville to regain a one run lead.
 
Junior Joe Pareres (Bronxville, N.Y./Fordham Prep), who came on in the previous inning, allowed a run in the bottom of the eighth as the Devils tied the game once again. Sophomore Joe Palmeri (Mastic, N.Y./Eastport/South Manor) came on in attempts to keep the game tied, but threw a wild pitch as the Devils brought the go-ahead run across the plate to make it 7-6 in favor of the home team.
 
In the top of the ninth, the Valiants tied the game as Guerra launched a solo home run over the left centerfield fence to tie the game at seven. Palmeri pitched through the bottom of the ninth and sent the game to extra innings.
 
The top of the tenth, freshman Jordanis Nunez (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond) singled with one out to put the go-ahead run on base. Two batters later with Ferguson batting, FDU-Florham pitcher Ryan Thurnes threw a wild pitch to send Nunez to second. Ferguson and classmate Johnny LoVetere (Southbury, Conn./Canterbury) drew walks to load the bases to bring up Guerra.
 
The sophomore singled to left field to bring home both Nunez and Ferguson and put Manhattanville ahead, 9-7. However, in the bottom of the inning the first two runners reached for the Devils, but Palmeri got the next two outs in attempts of ending the rally.
 
A singled up the middle loaded the bases, and a hit batsman brought in one run to pull the Devils within one. Sophomore Michael Lyon (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) came on looking to get the final out of the game, but allowed a single to centerfield to bring home the final two runs and give FDU-Florham the walk-off victory.
 
Picking up the win was Thurnes, who pitched the final two innings of relief after Roberts went through the first eight innings and allowed six runs on 12 hits. Taking the loss was Palmeri, who also through two innings of relief after Basso and Pareres combined to go the first 7 2/3 innings. Lyon did not retire a batter as the only man he faced reached base.
 
Manhattanville (10-26, 7-12 Freedom) is now in "must-win" mode as the team needs a pair of victories tomorrow coupled with a pair of Misericordia wins over Wilkes tomorrow if the Valiants want to reach the Freedom Conference Tournament next weekend in Quakertown, Pa. FDU-Florham (16-18, 11-8 Freedom) clinches a playoff berth with the victory and will look to improve its seeding when the two teams meet tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. at Manhattanville Field.