YAPHANK, N.Y. (Mar. 18, 2017) - On Saturday, the No. 23 LIU Post baseball team earned a split of a doubleheader against Le Moyne College in non-conference action at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank.

The Pioneers (8-5) rode strong pitching to a 3-1 win against the Dolphins (9-6) in the opener, before falling in the nightcap, 5-2.

Game #1: LIU Post 3, Le Moyne 1
In the opener, senior pitcher Jake DeCarli (Higganum, Conn.) was brilliant for the Pioneers. He threw his first complete game of 2017, yielding six hits, one run and one walk with 10 strikeouts.

It was DeCarli's second double-digit strikeout game of the year, matching his 10-strikeout performance against then-No. 6 Southern New Hampshire on Feb. 23.

Meanwhile, the green and gold got on the scoreboard first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Senior catcher Thomas Asbaty (Randolph, N.J.) and sophomore designated hitter Joe Piscitelli (Levittown, N.Y.) hit back-to-back RBI singles to put LIU Post in front.

The Dolphins then cut the deficit in half in the sixth, before the Pioneers tacked on a key insurance run in their half of the inning.

With the bases loaded and two out, sophomore second baseman Sal Geraci (Bayport, N.Y.) was hit with a pitch to score sophomore first baseman Anthony Vaglica (Franklin Square, N.Y.) from third, making it a 3-1 game.

In the top of the seventh, DeCarli made quick work of his opposition, retiring Le Moyne in order. He induced a pair of groundouts and fanned a hitter to earn his second victory of the year.

Game #2: LIU Post 2, Le Moyne 5
In the nightcap, the Pioneers jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage, after a two-run first-inning home run by senior outfielder Kenny Daley (Glenwood Landing, N.Y.).

However, the Dolphins, who were twice robbed of a run by sophomore third baseman Michael Greene (Stewart Manor, N.Y.), took the lead for good in the top of the fourth.

Freshman pitcher Noah Lorenzo (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) nearly worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam, until Le Moyne's Josiah Gray (New Rochelle, N.Y.) launched a grand slam to left to give the visitors a 4-2 edge.

The green and gold, which later trailed 5-2, had an opportunity to win the game in their final turn at-bat.

The Pioneers twice managed to get the potential game-winning run to the plate, but Gray struck out Vaglica and sophomore outfielder Dave Brehm (Bohemia, N.Y.) to end the game.

Head Coach Mike Gaffney and his LIU Post squad return to the diamond Sunday (Mar. 19), when they close out their four-game series against Le Moyne with a doubleheader at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank. First pitch is set for 10 a.m.