Baseball Suffers Tough 3-2 Loss in 12 Versus Mercy
Box Score BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Apr. 2, 2014) - The LIU Post baseball team dropped a hard-fought 3-2 decision in 12 innings against East Coast Conference foe Mercy Wednesday at the LIU Post Baseball Field in Brookville, N.Y.
Mercy (8-10, 5-2 ECC) was able to push across two runs in the second inning off starter
Joey Arena (Yorktown, N.Y.), who settled in nicely after allowing just his second earned run of the season through his first four starts.
With the Pioneers (7-7, 1-2 ECC) trailing by two in the fourth, freshman catcher
Thomas Asbaty (Randolph, N.J.) came up with two on and two out. The lefty lined a double down the right-field line that plated senior
Vinny Iacono (Nesconset, N.Y.), who collected a one-out single, and junior
Anthony Brunetti (Bayville, N.Y.), who drew a two-out walk.
The green and gold seemed poised for a dramatic win, but with two on and two out in the bottom of the ninth, freshman
Kyle Fagan (Wantagh, N.Y.) hit a sharp comebacker that Mercy pitcher Matt Nalbone grabbed and tossed to first to send the game to extras.
In the 12th, a two-out walk doomed the Pioneers. Mercy's Jesus Jaile drew a base on balls, Ken Post singled, and pinch hitter Andrew Kendel singled to drive in Jaile with the go-ahead run.
In the bottom half of the inning, LIU Post got a two-out base runner when Nalbone dropped a pop-up. Freshman
Brian Tinney (Farmingdale, N.Y.) then lined a shot into right-center, but Scott Hagan made a diving grab to end the game.
Arena tossed 10.0 innings, allowing just one hit, one earned and one unearned run. The lefty struck out six and has now held opponents to a .099 batting average.
The Pioneers return to action on Friday (Apr. 4) when they host Molloy in an ECC tilt in Brookville, N.Y. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.