Manhattan Baseball Dominates Weekly MAAC Awards

Last week’s weekly baseball awards were released by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Association (MAAC), and the Manhattan Jaspers have swept them all. Manhattan played four games last week, winning all but one of them. They were able to beat LIU Brooklyn 7-6, La Salle 11-6, and finally beating a very tough opponent Villanova by a score of 7-5. Their loss came to Saint Joseph’s, falling 3-6.

All 3 weekly awards went to Manhattan players. Freshman infielder Will Trochiano pulled in Rookie of the Week for his great performances. Against LIU, Trochiano pulled in 2 hits, 1 double, and scored a run. His stellar defense also helped save several runs over the weekend, and he looks to be a key piece for the Jaspers over the next four years.

Sophomore closer TJ Stuart won the Co-Pitcher of the Week award for several stellar outings. He came in to close out all of the Jasper’s victories, pulling in all 3 saves. He had no issues with LIU Brooklyn in the inning he pitched, knocking down each batter successively. It only got better against La Salle, as he fanned 3 batters during the the final 2 innings of that game. An additional pair of perfect innings came against Villanova. The trend will certainly continue, as Stuart has seemed to cement his spot in the Jaspers bullpen.

Richie Barrella, a junior infield originally hailing from Canterbury Prep, was able to take home Player of the Week. He posted some amazing numbers, getting 8 hits in 14 at-bats for a .571 average. Additionally Barrella scored 4 runs, walked the same number of times, and swiped 2 bags. His best performance came against LIU Brooklyn, reaching base safely in every possible chance. He went 4-4 with a walk, and followed up by reaching base 5 of 5 times against La Salle (1 double, 3 walks, HBP). Barrella batted in a clutch run at Villanova to top off their victory, and contributed two hits in their loss to Saint Joseph’s.

It became quite clear last week that the Jaspers are legitimate contenders for this year’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title. Despite a so-so record of 7 wins and 10 losses, they are a real threat to the conference. Early losses came against powerhouses such as VCU and Stetson, but those games certainly have helped prepare for conference play. Be sure to watch Barrella closely as well, as he is an early candidate for Player of the Year. Manhattan’s next games come on Saturday the 24th, with a double-header against Saint Peter’s. The games also mark the official begin of the MAAC regular season.