Baseball Opens Conference Play With 12-6 Win Over Bridgeport
Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (March 21, 2012) – The Pioneers offense broke through to pound out 18 hits against Bridgeport, and the C.W. Post baseball team won its East Coast Conference opener, posting a 12-6 victory over Bridgeport on Wednesday afternoon.
C.W. Post improves to 7-9 overall and 1-0 in ECC play, while Bridgeport goes to 2-6, 0-1 in conference play.
Bridgeport took advantage of early errors by the Pioneer infield in the first and second innings. Two one-out singles and a groundout put runners on second and third with two outs. A muffed groundball to the first baseman allowed one run to score, and a booming double by Eric Schlitter to left-center looked to score two more, but a terrific relay from centerfield to shortstop to third base got Schlitter at third base before the run crossed the plate, and the damage was limited to two runs in the inning.
In the second, a hit and two errors allowed Bridgeport to load the bases, and a walk pushed across another run. But starter
Bo Budkevics (Deer Park, N.Y.) settled down to get a strikeout, flyout and groundout to end the threat.
C.W. Post scored two in the second as
Vinny Iacono (Nesconset, N.Y.) lined a two-out single to left field.
Angel Pimentel (New York, N.Y.) followed with a one-out walk, and both runners scored on a two-base error by the Bridgeport third baseman.
The Pioneers tied the game 3-3 in the third as
Anthony Corona (Carmel, N.Y.) reached on an error, followed by singles by
Keith Herring (New York, N.Y.) and
Rich Maccarone (Glen Cove, N.Y.). A bases-loaded walk to
P.J. Jennings (Morris Plains, N.J.) plated Corona.
The hosts took the lead fourth as Pimentel got things started with a single up the middle. He stole second and advanced to third on an errant throw by the catcher, and scored on
Tom Tolan's (Malverne, N.Y.) single up the middle. A sac bunt and a single by Corona put runners on the corners for Herring, who doubled to drive in a run and make it 5-3. An error on Maccarone's grounder pushed across two more to make it 7-3. Maccarone advanced to third on a well-executed hit-and-run by
Kevin Chenicek (Levittown, N.Y.), but pop up and a strikeout ended the inning.
Bridgeport scored a run in the fifth on another bases-loaded walk, then scored two in the top of the sixth as a single by Kyle Ferri and a sacrifice fly by Schlitter made it a 7-6 ballgame.
In the bottom of the sixth, Maccarone knocked a one out single, stole second, advanced to third on a grounder, and scored on a single to center by Jennings to give the Pioneers an insurance run.
C.W. Post struck another big blow in the seventh as Corona belted a two-run shot to left field. Three consecutive singles by Herring, Maccarone, and Chenicek added another run, and a sac fly by Jennings gave the Pioneers a 12-6 lead.
That was more than enough run support for
Paul Bischoff (Levittown, N.Y.), who closed out the win an earned the save with 3.2 innings of shutout relief, allowing only two hits and striking out two. Budkevics improved to 4-1 with 5.1 innings of work, giving up six runs (three unearned) on ten hits, striking out five.
Offensively, the Pioneers were led by Maccarone and Herring, who each went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI each. Pimentel, Tolan, Corona, Chenicek and Iacono each had two hits for the Pioneers, who pounded 18 in total.
The Pioneers continue tomorrow against Bridgeport in a 3 p.m. contest in Connecticut.