this is manhattan college

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us,” said Leighton. “Mike and Tom
[Costigan] will likely be our #1 and #2
weekend starters. I think our bullpen
is much stronger too. Our newcomers
give us a few more options to work
with in relief.”
Gazzola, a fifth year player from
White Plains, N.Y., became just the
third Jasper all-time to earn MAAC
Pitcher of the Year honors in 2009. The
crafty left-hander posted a 7-1 overall
record, including four complete games,
which complement a team-best 4.15
ERA. He elevated his performances
in MAAC contests going a perfect 5-0
with a 3.75 ERA. Stepping up for the
big show, Gazzola pitched a complete
game en route to a 2-1 victory over
Rider in the MAAC Tournament.
Gazzola is expected to lead the
Jaspers’ weekend rotation again in
2010.
Costigan is a hard throwing righthander
who will see the majority
of his time in the starting rotation.
The product of Cold Spring, N.Y. is
coming off a season where he found
success both as a starter and out of the
bullpen. Costigan’s seven wins and 73
strikeouts ranked third in the league
last season. He logged a .284 batting
average against and allowed just 48
earned runs over 80 innings. Costigan
is a crafty pitcher with a good mix of
pitches as displayed by his 29 strikeouts
looking, which ranked second in
the league last year. Costigan went
5-1 and tallied a 4.10 ERA in MAAC
contests. He was tabbed as one of the
conference’s top prospects in 2010 by
Baseball America.
The Jaspers will look to Moran as the
primary closer. One of the program’s
top relievers all-time, Moran is
expected to break Manhattan’s career
saves record currently standing just
one save behind former standout Pat
Widgren ’00. In 2009, the native of
Farmington, Conn. appeared 24 times,
posted a 5-2 record and was second in
the MAAC with six saves. A deceptive
sidewinder, Moran bounces back
on short rest and will eat up several
innings out of the bullpen. He led all
Jasper relievers with 45 innings of
work last season.
Sophomores Mike Giordano and
Matt Jordan will compete again for
a position in the Jaspers weekend
rotation. Giordano made a splash to
start his collegiate career last season
winning his first six career starts. A
Bedford, N.Y. native, Giordano ranked
second on the team with a 4.43 ERA
and struck out 32 batters in 61.0
innings of action.
Jordan split the 2009 season
2 0 1 0 • M A N H A T T A N C O L L E G E B A S E B A L L
between the starting rotation
and coming out of the bullpen. A
hardnosed southpaw, Jordan recorded
four wins, 47 strikeouts and one save
in 55.0 innings of work. He was named
MAAC Rookie of the Week on May
16 after striking out six batters and
allowing just one earned run in a win
at Iona.
Senior fireballer Zac Goyer gives the
Jaspers another option either out of
the bullpen or as a starter. Goyer struck
out 41 batters in 40.0 innings, while
posting four non-conference wins. He
led the team last season with a .226
batting average against. A power
strikeout pitcher, Goyer notched a
career-high 11 Ks in a victory over BYU.
Manhattan will have sophomores
Matt Troisi, Taylor Sewitt and junior
Rob Ardino coming out of the bullpen.
Troisi is a lefty from Brooklyn who
found most of his success last season
in four relief appearances over a 10
day span in March where he did not
allow an earned run. Sewitt made
10 appearances in 2009 serving the
Jaspers as a utility infielder and out
of the bullpen. He adds depth to
Manhattan in both these areas. Ardino
appeared in eight games as a freshman
and notched six strikeouts over 11.2
innings.
Freshmen Eric Luksis, Mike Gonzalez
and John Soldinger will compete for
time on the mound. Luksis is a lefty
from Wappingers Falls, N.Y. who
can have an immediate impact. A
deceptive pitcher with good velocity
and control, Luksis has the potential to
service Manhattan in a starting role.
The All-County selection at John Jay
East Fishkill, Luksis has the ability to
dominate a game as he did when he
tossed a no hitter versus Carmel on
April 17, 2009.
Gonzalez has the potential to
contribute out of the bullpen this
year. A right-hander from Christopher
Columbus High School in Miami, which
has produced several Jasper standouts
in the past, Gonzalez complements a
good fast ball with good out pitches.
Soldinger is a 6’3” 205 pitcher who is
also expected to be used as a reliever
this season. He is a two-time All-Long
Island selection locally at Bay Shore
High School. Soldinger can locate his
fastball and has an above average
breaking ball. He will compete for
innings.
Schedule
The 2010 slate features contests
with powers from the ACC, BIG EAST,
Conference USA and Colonial Athletic
Association, in addition to the always
challenging MAAC lineup. The Jaspers
open the season Feb. 26-28 at the
University of Miami, a 2009 NCAA
Tournament participant.
"We are excited about our
schedule," explained Leighton. "The
first four weeks of the season will
certainly be the most challenging
that we have had in my time with the
program."
The Jaspers travel south to begin
the campaign with a three game
series against the Hurricanes marking
the first time the programs have met
since the 2006 NCAA Regional Finals.
Manhattan returns to the Bronx for
its annual meeting at cross-town rival
Fordham (March 3), before traveling to
Delaware (March 5-7).
"Miami is going to be tough. It is
never an easy weekend when you play
a perennial power in their home park.
We expect this experience will prepare
us for the other challenging games on
the schedule."
Manhattan visits Morgantown, W.
Va. to square off with West Virginia
from March 12-14. The Mountaineers
went 37-18 last year and finished third
in the BIG EAST. The Jaspers will also
make non-conference stops at Long
Island (March 9), Seton Hall (March
17), Liberty (March 19-21), and Hofstra
(March 24), before opening the MAAC
schedule at Marist (March 27-28).
The Jaspers will also visit nonconference
opponents Fairleigh
Dickinson (March 30), Sacred Heart
(April 13), Alabama Birmingham (April
24-25) and Albany (April 28).
Manhattan plays ball at Van
Cortlandt Park for the first time on
April 3-4 when the Jaspers host league
member Saint Peter's. Albany (April 7),
Columbia (April 21) and NYIT (May 4)
will also come to Riverdale this season.
The Jaspers conference home games
resume May 1-2 versus Niagara.
Manhattan travels to Canisius (May
8-9) for a weekend series, before
returning to Riverdale for consecutive
MAAC series with Iona (May 15-16)
and Siena (May 20-21).
The 2010 MAAC Championships
will return to Fishkill, N.Y. at Dutchess
Stadium from May 27-30, the site of
the Jaspers last MAAC Championship.