Budkevics Leads Baseball Past Bridgeport, 2-0
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (April 1, 2010) - Senior pitcher Pete Budkevics (Deer Park, N.Y.) threw his second consecutive complete game as he twirled a two-hit shutout, and RBI singles from senior Bryan Bonin (Commack, N.Y.) and sophomore Nick Compito (Syosset, N.Y.) gave Budkevics all the run support he would need as the Pioneers won 2-0 over Bridgeport on Thursday afternoon.
C.W. Post, winners of nine of their last 11 contests, improves to 11-7-1 and 9-2 in ECC play. Bridgeport falls to 6-8, 5-5 in conference play.
Neither team mustered much offense for the first five and a half innings of play, but in the bottom of the sixth, the Pioneers used some small ball to get on the board. Senior left fielder Kyle Dean (Southbury, Conn.) led off the inning by beating out a bunt single, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman second baseman Casey McKay (North Massapequa, N.Y.). A ground ball to the right side by freshman center fielder Zack Graczyk (Carmel, N.Y.) moved Dean to third, and Bonin came through with a single to left center that scored Dean for a 1-0 lead.
The Pioneers got some insurance in the seventh as senior first baseman Brian Anderson (Nesconset, N.Y.) reached on an infield error, and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt by the Bridgeport catcher. He advanced to third on a single by freshman catcher Anthony Corona (Carmel, N.Y.), and scored on another single by Compito.
Budkevics, who improved to 4-0 on the season, struck out 12 in nine innings of work, allowing just two hits and issuing just one walk. Counterpart Bobby Swann (Cumberland, R.I.) went eight innings in taking the loss, dropping to 1-3 on the year as he allowed two runs on six hits, striking out six.
The Pioneers travel to Bridgeport tomorrow for a 3 p.m. game, and Saturday for a 12 noon doubleheader, before returning home on Monday, hosting a 3 p.m. matchup in the final game of a five-game series against the Purple Knights.