Baseball Takes Two From Bridgeport; 11-1, 4-3
Box Score Game One
Box Score Game Two
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (April 3, 2010) – The C.W. Post baseball team won both ends of a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at Bridgeport, defeating the Purple Knights 11-1 in the opener, before holding onto a 4-3 nail-biter in the nightcap to cap the sweep.
The Pioneers improve to 13-7 overall and 11-2 in the ECC, while Bridgeport slips to 6-10, 5-7 in conference play.
C.W. Post took a two-run lead in the top of the first, with senior shortstop Bryan Bonin (Commack, N.Y.) roping a double to left field, followed by a run-scoring single from freshman first baseman Anthony Corona (Carmel, N.Y.). A hit batsmen moved Corona to second, and sophomore third baseman Nick Compito (Syosset, N.Y.) singled him home for a 2-0 advantage.
Bridgeport scored one run in the second as designated hitter Stefan Wagner (Freemont, N.H.) hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored a run, but C.W. Post responded with another run in the third, as Bonin reached base on a walk and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Compito.
Leading 3-1 heading into the seventh, C.W. Post exploded for eight runs in the inning, and gave freshman starter Kevin Chenicek (Levittown, N.Y.) plenty of breathing room as he breezed to the complete-game win. Bonin, freshman designated hitter Terrence Macken (Sayville, N.Y.), senior left fielder Kyle Dean (Southbury, Conn.) freshman second baseman Casey McKay (North Massapequa, N.Y.) and freshman centerfielder Zach Graczyk (Carmel, N.Y.) and Corona each drove in runs in the eighth.
Chenicek's final line was seven innings pitched, scattering seven hits and allowing only one run, while striking out nine and not issuing a walk.
Chris Maull (Winslow, N.J.) was the losing pitcher for Bridgeport, throwing two innings and giving up three runs on three hits.
At the plate, the Pioneers were paced by Corona's 3-for-3 effort as well as Compito's two base hits.
Game two saw Bridgeport take a 1-0 lead in the second as Kevin Clements doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a passed ball.
C.W. Post recovered the deficit and took a lead in the third however, as graduate designated hitter Joseph Armenti (Dix Hills, N.Y.) singled to shortstop to lead off the inning. Dean sacrificed him to second base, and McKay singled to put runners on the corners. A Graczyk double down the left field line drove in both runs and put Graczyk took third on the throw to the plate. Corona came through with a two-out single to center field that plated Graczyk for the third run of the inning.
Bridgeport scored another run in the fourth as Bridgeport loaded the bases against starter Brian Saldana (Deer Park, N.Y.), and with one out Omar Isa Ortiz (Santo Domingo, DR) hit an RBI infield single, but Saldana was able to throw a 4-6-3 double play ball to end the inning without any further damage.
Armenti scored again in the seventh as he singled to right field, moved to second on another Dean sacrifice bunt, and McKay once again followed with a single to put runners on first and third. Armenti eventually scored on a wild pitch for a 4-2 lead.
Senior Bobby Kay (Stony Brook, N.Y.) came on in relief in the bottom of the seventh, and got two quick outs. But Tyler Moffat (Colonie, N.Y.) singled to left field, and Luke Abraham (Cumberland, R.I.) tripled to right center, making the score 4-3 with a runner on third base for the Purple Knights. However, Kay bore down on Clements and induced a groundout to end the game and earn the save.
Saldana went six innings and scattered seven hits, giving up two runs (both unearned) and striking out seven while walking just one.
Bridgeport pitcher Anthony Plomitallo (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) took the loss with 5.2 innings pitched, giving up three runs on seven hits.
Offensively, McKay went 3-for-3 and Graczyk and Armenti had two hits apiece, with Graczyk driving in two runs.
The Pioneers will continue Friday's suspended contest on Monday, starting at 1:30 p.m., followed by the final game of the five-game series between C.W. Post and Bridgeport.