AUSTIN, Texas (Feb. 28, 2016) - On Sunday, the LIU Post baseball team defeated No. 6 St. Edward's University, 5-1, in the final game of a four-game set at Tornado Field in Austin.

The Pioneers (2-6) got off to a quick start. After sophomore shortstop Joe Spitaleri (Levittown, N.Y.) reached with a one-out single and stole second, senior first baseman David Groeneveld (Centereach, N.Y.) doubled, scoring Spitaleri. Junior catcher Thomas Asbaty (Randolph, N.J.) followed with a run-scoring single, giving the green and gold a 2-0 lead.

That was all the run support freshman pitcher James Valera (Levittown, N.Y.) would need. The righty allowed a run in the second, but followed with 5.2 scoreless innings in his second career start.

Varela started the eight and retired the first batter. After a walk, a fly-out and an intentional walk, head coach Mike Gaffney brought in junior Jake DeCarli (Higganum, Conn.) to get out of the jam. DeCarli walked the first batter he faced to load the bases, but retired the next hitter to escape with the 2-1 lead intact.

In the top of the ninth, the Pioneers strung together three hits and took advantage of two Hilltopper (12-5) errors to score three runs, extending their lead to 5-1.

DeCarli put a pair of runners on in the bottom of the ninth, but got the final batter to line out, sealing the win.

Varela scattered six hits over 7.2 innings. The freshman allowed one earned run, walked two and struck out two to earn his first collegiate win.

Freshman right fielder Dave Brehm (Bohemia, N.Y.) went 3-for-4 to pick up his first career three-hit game. Sophomore designated hitter James Cohan (Syosset, N.Y.), Spitaleri, Groeneveld and Asbaty all had two-hit games.

Coach Gaffney and the Pioneers return to the diamond next Monday (Mar. 7) when they head south to Boca Raton, Fla. LIU Post will take on Nyack College in the first game of a five-game slate as part of the Palm Beach Challenge. The opening pitch is slated for 1 p.m.