Fishkill, NY - Manhattan College (25-26-1) earned a spot in the 2004 Anaconda Sports MAAC Baseball Championship final game after defeating Niagara University (27-27), 12-7, in Game 5 of the tournament at Dutchess Stadium.

Manhattan jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, and then doubled its score with four more runs in the fourth, led by Nick Derba?™s two-run homer, to take a 8-4 lead. In the top of the sixth, Niagara closed within three (8-5) as Mike Alati scored on Mike Medici?™s single up the middle. The Jaspers answered with two runs of their own in the sixth (10-5) as Chris Gaskin knocked a two RBI single up the middle to bring in Gary Diaz and Derba.

Manhattan closed out its offensive effort in the seventh with pinch runner Shane Bolin crossing home plate on double by Josh Greco and then Greco reaching home on a grounded out double play. Niagara made an attempt to come back, recording two runs in the top of the eighth, but fell short of the task at hand.

Manhattan?™s Chris Cody improved to 5-1 with the win, while Niagara?™s Ryan Virtue finished the year at 6-3 on the mound.

Manhattan will play Le Moyne College in Game 6 on Saturday, May 29, at 1:00 p.m. If the Jaspers win Game 6, the seventh and deciding game is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m.