Baseball Stumbles in Doubleheader Loss to STAC; 2-0, 7-2
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
YAPHANK, N.Y. (Mar. 27, 2017) - The LIU Post baseball team came up short Sunday in a pair of losses to East Coast Conference arch-rival St. Thomas Aquinas College at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank.
The Pioneers (10-10, 2-2 ECC) lost a close 2-0 decision in the opener and dropped a tough 7-2 contest in the nightcap.
Game #1: LIU Post 0, St. Thomas Aquinas 2
In the opener, sophomore pitcher
James Varela (Levittown, N.Y.) fired eight solid innings for LIU Post, but was tagged with the loss. He allowed just one earned run and four walks and struck out six.
The Spartans struck first in the game with a two-run fourth, but the Pioneers threatened to even things up in their half of the fifth.
Junior shortstop
Joe Spitaleri (Levittown, N.Y.) and junior outfielder
Rob Andreoli (North Wantagh, N.Y.) led off the frame with back-to-back singles to put the tying runs on base.
However, the green and gold's only opportunity to score in the inning was a one-out bounce-back to the pitcher that nailed Spitaleri at the plate.
Junior pitcher Frankie Moscatiello (Rocky Point, N.Y.) went on to earn the complete-game shutout for STAC. He let up just four hits and retired the side in order in five of the nine innings.
Game #2: LIU Post 2, St. Thomas Aquinas 7
In the nightcap, St. Thomas Aquinas (11-9, 2-2 ECC) capitalized on a potential inning-ending two-out error in the first, which eventually staked the Spartans to a 3-0 advantage.
The Pioneers fought back though and plated a run in the third on an RBI single by senior outfielder
Kenny Daley (Glenwood Landing, N.Y.) to close the gap to a 3-1 game.
But, in the fifth, STAC tacked on another three-spot to pull away for the win. Three different Spartans drew a walk with the bases loaded to increase the hosts' lead to 6-1.
Despite not allowing an earned run, sophomore pitcher
Nick Schoen (Hicksville, N.Y.) took the loss. He threw two innings of two-hit, three-walk, two-strikeout ball in the effort.
Head Coach
Mike Gaffney and his LIU Post squad are back in action Saturday (Apr. 1), when they welcome in ECC foe Mercy College for a noon first pitch at the LIU Post Baseball Field in Brookville.