MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Senior Joe Spitaleri homered in the fifth inning to put the LIU Post baseball team on top for good, as the Pioneers downed Merrimack College 3-2 in its first game of the Ripken Experience Feb. 22.
 
Spitaleri's solo shot broke a 2-2 tie midway through the contest and proved to be the game-winner for the Green and Gold. The senior finished the evening going 2-for-4 at the plate, driving in two runs while also scoring twice. Junior Anthony Vaglica also recorded a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-3 with two singles. On the mound, junior James Varela was dominant, fanning 12 batters over eight innings, allowing just five hits and two runs to earn the victory. Sophomore Kurt Rissland tossed a scoreless ninth inning to capture his first save of the season.
 
The Pioneers jumped on top early, plating two runs in the bottom of the first inning, pushing one run across on an RBI single by Spitaleri before sophomore Zach Fritz brought home another with a groundout. After two scoreless plate appearances, Merrimack pushed one run across in the fourth and fifth innings, tying the score 2-2.
 
The tie did not last long, however, as Spitaleri blasted the round-tripper to centerfield with one out in the bottom half of the frame, proving to be what would be the game's final run. Varela allowed just two base runners over the next three Merrimack at-bats, but a pickoff and a failed stolen base attempt left no runners on base to end each frame, and LIU Post carried the one-run lead into the ninth.
 
After two quick outs, Rissland temporarily lost command, issuing three consecutive walks to load the bases, but induced a fly ball to right field to help LIU Post hang on for the 3-2 victory.
 
The Green and Gold return to action with two games tomorrow, as the Pioneers square off with Wilmington University at 2:00 p.m. before facing Stonehill College at 5:00 p.m.