Baseball Takes Two At ECC Championships; Rallying Past STAC, 9-4, Before Defeating New Haven, 5-1
Box Score vs. St. Thomas Aquinas
Box Score vs. New Haven
BROOKHAVEN, N.Y. (May 10, 2008) – C.W. Post scored six runs in the top of the ninth inning to defeat top-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas, 9-4, and went on to defeat the University of New Haven, 5-1, for a two-game sweep in the East Coast Conference baseball championship tournament.
The Pioneers improve to 28-25 overall and will face the winner of the New Haven/Adelphi contest at 12 p.m. on Sunday.
The first game against St. Thomas Aquinas was played at neutral site Adelphi University. The Pioneers took a 3-0 lead in the first inning when sophomore centerfielder
Mike Callaghan (East Meadow, N.Y.) hit a three-run double.
STAC got one run back in the fourth when senior designated hitter Mike Triana hit an RBI single to score sophomore first baseman Vincent Malzahn from second. The Spartans overtook the lead in the eighth with three runs, highlighted by a double down the left field line off the bat of sophomore rightfielder Pat Murray.
Trailing 4-3 in the ninth, the Pioneers rallied back to score six runs as junior second baseman
Kyle Walker (Wantagh, N.Y.) and junior catcher
Brian Anderson (Nesconset, N.Y.) each had two-run doubles.
Senior starting pitcher
Kevin Gerard (Levittown, N.Y.) pitched 7.1 innings and allowed four earned runs on five hits with six strikeouts and three walks. Senior
Keith Karlsen (Farmingdale, N.Y.) came on in relief in the eighth to earn the win while senior
Anthony Rinaldi (Levittown, N.Y.) closed out the ninth for the save.
Callaghan finished the game batting 2 for 5 with four RBI and a run scored.
Senior starter Joel Violette pitched 7.1 innings and let up one earned run on six hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Senior Jonathan Della Monica was charged with the loss, allowing six earned runs on five hits in the ninth inning.
In the nightcap, the New Haven Chargers scored a run in the top of the first after junior rightfielder Jimmy Rivas hit an RBI single up the middle. The Pioneers scored two runs in the bottom of the first with the help of an RBI single from Anderson and an infield error and held on to the lead for the remainder of the game.
C.W. Post added insurance runs in the fourth after a sacrifice fly to right field from senior designated hitter
Mike Sylvester (Farmingdale, N.Y.) and a two-out RBI single from Walker. The Pioneers added an additional run in the bottom of the seventh after Callaghan hit an RBI single up the middle to score Anderson from second.
Sophomore
Pete Budkevics (Deer Park, N.Y.) pitched 8.1 innings for his fifth win of the season, allowing one earned run on seven hits with eight strikeouts and four walks.
Sophomore shortstop
Bryan Bonin (Commack, N.Y.) led the Pioneers with three hits.
Sophomore T.J. Phelan took the loss after allowing five earned runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts and a walk.