BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (May 6, 2017) - On Saturday, the LIU Post baseball team closed out its 2017 home schedule with a split of a doubleheader against East Coast Conference rival Molloy College at the LIU Post Baseball Field.

The Pioneers (26-18, 16-8 ECC) lost an 8-6 decision in the opener, before rallying to an 8-5 extra-inning victory over the Lions (19-26, 11-13 ECC) in the nightcap.

Game #1: LIU Post 6, Molloy 8
The Pioneers got out to a fast start in the opener, tallying a five-spot in their half of the second to grab an early 5-0 lead. Four of those five runs in the frame came with two outs.

Junior outfielder Rob Andreoli (North Wantagh, N.Y.), junior shortstop Joe Spitaleri (Levittown, N.Y.) and sophomore third baseman Jimmy Mendyk (Massapequa, N.Y.) all punched RBI singles in the inning. Senior outfielder Kenny Daley (Glenwood Landing, N.Y.) delivered a two-RBI single through the left side.

The green and gold eventually led 6-3 through seven innings, until the Lions rallied with five runs of its own off the LIU Post bullpen in the eighth to go in front 8-6.

The Pioneers looked to answer by putting the tying runs on in the last of the eighth, but Molloy's Kevin Hiss (Merrick, N.Y.) retired the next three batters in order to keep the hosts off the scoreboard.

Senior pitcher Dan Jagiello (West Islip, N.Y.) was tagged with the loss, after yielding two unearned runs in relief. Freshman pitcher Noah Lorenzo (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) tossed 6.2 innings of seven-hit, three-run, two-walk, two-strikeout ball in his start.

Game #2; LIU Post 8, Molloy 5 - F/10
In the nightcap, it was the Pioneers that came from behind to salvage the split.

Trailing 5-4 in the sixth, freshman pinch-hitter Zach Fritz (East Meadow, N.Y.) ripped a one-out single to left to score senior first baseman Thomas Asbaty (Randolph, N.J.) for the game-tying run.

The two teams then exchanged zeroes, as the contest went into extra innings.

In the 10th, Daley drove a lead-off double to left to put the winning run in scoring position. Two batters later, sophomore catcher Anthony Vaglica (Franklin Square, N.Y.) launched a 1-1 offering over the center-field fence for the walk-off victory.

Red-shirt sophomore pitcher Robert Paccione (Commack, N.Y.), who earned the win, and freshman pitcher Pat McCabe (North Babylon, N.Y.) combined for six innings of scoreless relief out of the bullpen. Senior pitcher Chris Anderson (West Islip, N.Y.) made the start, scattering three hits, three runs and four walks in 3.2 innings of work.

Head Coach Mike Gaffney and his LIU Post squad wrap up the 2017 regular season Sunday (May 7), when they face Molloy in an ECC showdown at 1 p.m. at the Mitchel Field Athletic Complex in Uniondale.