Box Score Game One
Box Score Game Two
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (May 8, 2010) -  The C.W. Post baseball team used a late inning spark to earn a victory in game one, but gave up an early lead in game two and couldn't complete the second comeback of the afternoon as the Pioneers split an East Coast Conference doubleheader with the Spartans, winning 8-7 but losing the nightcap 5-3 on Sunday afternoon.

Prior to the doubleheader, the Pioneers recognized their three seniors, Joe Mare (Whitestone, N.Y.), Marshall Kapson (Commack, N.Y.) and Dan Mende (Monroe, N.Y.).

C.W. Post took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning of the first game as Matt Simone (West Islip, N.Y.) worked a leadoff walk. Rich Maccarone (Glen Cove, N.Y.) and sophomore second baseman Casey McKay (North Massapequa, N.Y.) followed with singles to load the bases, and the Pioneers pushed a run across on an infield error. But a ground ball double play and strikeout limited the damages for STAC, and the Spartans responded in the fifth inning, exploding for five runs. Joe Antenucci and Nick Barbalato hit bases loaded singles to drive in runs, and a passed ball and infield error plated three more runs.

C.W. Post got a run back in the fifth and made the deficit 5-2 as Mende and Mare led off the inning with singles, and Mende scored on a double play groundout.

STAC put up two more runs in the eighth on an two-run single down the left field line by Andrew Ahn, but C.W. Post answered right back in the bottom of the inning with a three spot of its own, as McKay worked a bases-loaded walk, Anthony Corona (Carmel, N.Y.) grounded out to drive in another run, and #P.J. Jennings# (Morris Plains, N.J.) hit a sacrifice fly to right field to make the score 7-5.

Starting the rally in the ninth was Mende, as he worked a leadoff walk, followed by another walk to Mare. Mende and freshman pinch runner Connor Coman (Bay Shore, N.Y.), moved up a base on a wild pitch, and Mende scored when the STAC pitcher threw Tom Tolan's (Malverne, N.Y.) into left field in an attempt to nab Medne at third base. The wild throw allowed the run two score and runners to advance to second and third with the winning run at second. 

After a strikeout, Maccarone grounded a ball up the middle but the STAC shortstop muffed the play, allowing another run to score, making it 8-7, and putting runners at the corners. Maccarone stole second, but the Spartans walked McKay, bringing up Corona with the bases loaded and one out. The sophomore cleanup hitter came through with a clutch single to center field to give the Pioneers the victory.

Maccarone led the offense, going to 2-for-5. Junior Glen Hudson (West Sayville, N.Y.) started and went six innings, scattering eight hits and giving up five runs (two earned), striking out four. Connor McCarthy (Westbury, N.Y.) was the winning pitcher, throwing a scoreless ninth inning and allowing only one hit. 

Game two saw the Pioneers take a 3-0 lead with a run in the first and two in the second, but STAC tied the game at 3-3 in the third as Antenucci and Vincent Malzahn each had RBIs in the inning. 

STAC scored two in the seventh on another Antenucci single, as well as an RBI single by Barbalato, and made the runs stand up as they finished off the Pioneers, 5-2.

Maccarone led the way again with two hits, while Chenicek took the loss, going the complete game and giving up five runs (two earned) on nine hits. 

Joe DePool earned the complete game victory for the Spartans.

C.W. Post closes out its season tomorrow with a doubleheader at home against Mercy starting at 2 p.m.