PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville baseball team fell behind by a 17-2 score heading into the final three innings, but rallied to put up nine runs in the last three frames but it wasn't enough as the team fell to the Vassar Brewers by a 17-11 score on Wednesday afternoon at Manhattanville Field.
 
Freshman Julian Ponce (Port Chester, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) made his first career start for Manhattanville and allowed the first seven runs over his two innings of work. Classmate Jason Cosentino (Valhalla, N.Y./Westlake) was next to the bump and yielded one run in the third inning as Vassar increased its lead to eight.
 
In the bottom of the third, senior Raul Rodriguez (Bronx, N.Y./DeWitt Clinton) got things started with a leadoff double to the left centerfield fence. Sophomore Nick Euvino (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) was hit by a pitch, but was erased on a double play as Rodriguez advanced to third. Senior Sean Ferguson (Astoria, N.Y./Xavier) singled to drive in Rodriguez and put Manhattanville on the board.
 
The next half of the inning, Cosentino was charged with three more runs before junior Ryan Blinderman (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Warde) got the final two outs of the frame. Blinderman continued into the fifth and struck out the first two batters he faced, the sidewinder then walked the next batter, only to get the next batter swinging as he struck out the side.
 
Senior Johnny LoVetere (Southbury, Conn./Canterbury) led off the next inning and struck his first career triple in his final game at Manhattanville Field. LoVetere was then taken out of the game in favor of a pinch runner as the senior co-captain exited the game to a nice hand from the crowd. Two batters later sophomore Kevin Brady (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) tripled to bring home the second Valiant run.
 
Sophomore Michael Lyon (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) was next out of the bullpen as he prepares for his next start this weekend, and did not allow a run in the sixth. Graduate student Donny Pitasi (Mount Kisco, N.Y./Fox Lane) was next to the hill for the final time at his home field, and retired one batter but walked four and allowed a hit.
 
Zack Zareva (Warren, N.J./Watchung Hills Regional) came on for his second straight day of work and allowed one inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly before getting the next batter to ground out. At that point in the game, the Brewers led 17-2 going to the bottom of the seventh.
 
Sophomore Nate Trashansky (Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) doubled to centerfield to lead off the inning and moved to third on a wild pitch. Senior John Bucci (Port Chester, N.Y./Port Chester) then walked, followed by freshman Jake McGrath (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane) reaching on a fielding error before being erased on classmate Nick Savarese (Merrick, N.Y./Calhoun), who grounded out. Rodriguez singled to score a run, while sophomore T.J. Hewett (Wethersfield, Conn./Wethersfield) walked and junior Elias Tsouristakis (New Rochelle, N.Y./Fordham Prep) singled to made the score 17-6.
 
Junior Hans Arias (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond) was then struck by a pitch, which forced Rodriguez home to make it a 10-run game. Transhansky was then up for the second time in the inning and was called out on an infield fly rule, the umpires then called Tsouristakis out on an interference play at second base, which put a quick end to Manhattanville's rally.
 
Bucci walked to lead off the next inning, then stole second base ahead of Savarese's first career hit through the right side of the infield. Freshman Kurt Hommen (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) replaced Savarese on a fielder's choice as Bucci was forced to hold at third. A wild pitch with Rodriguez batting allowed Bucci to score to make it a nine-run game. Rodriguez then reached on a throwing error by the pitcher, which allowed Hommen to score.
 
Sophomore Brian Lobel (Purchase, N.Y./Harrison) was on next and worked around a pair of back-to-back one out walks to retire the Brewers without allowing a hit. Manhattanville scored twice more on an RBI base hit by Bucci, just ahead of McGrath walking with the bases loaded to cap off the scoring at 17-11.
 
Picking up the win in relief was Harrison Remler, who pitched the third and fourth innings while allowing just one run. Six pitchers were needed by Vassar to round out the game. Ponce gets saddled with his first loss (1-1), Cosentino, Blinderman, Lyon, Pitasi, Zareva and Lobel closed out the game.
 
Manhattanville finishes the regular season with a 13-27 overall record and a 9-12 record in league play as the team takes the next day off before its playoff matchup with Misericordia on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. from Quakertown, Pa. Vassar (15-16-1, 10-12 Liberty League) plays its final four games of the regular season in conference play against Union beginning with a pair on the road on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.