BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – It was a Saturday sweep for the LIU Post baseball team on March 31, as the Pioneers took down the University of Bridgeport 10-6 and 5-3 to earn the win in the season series, improving to 6-2 in East Coast Conference play.
 
Junior Joe Piscitelli finished 5-for-8 at the dish with three runs batted in and three runs scored, while senior Joe Spitaleri added five hits and three runs batted in as well. Junior Anthony Vaglica added a big game as well, blasting a solo home run in game one. Senior Rob Andreoli matched the team-lead with three runs batted in as well.
 
Freshman Joseph Valentino earned his first career victory on the mound, going 6.1 innings in game two, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out 11.
 
Game One – LIU Post 10, Bridgeport 6
 
Bridgeport jumped ahead in the bottom of the first on an RBI-double by Tom Rinaldi, but the Pioneers quickly countered with a run on a Piscitelli RBI-double in the top of the second inning, sparking the offense to score in each of its next four plate appearances.
 
Despite the Pioneer offensive attack, the Purple Knights scored four runs in the bottom of the third to take a 5-3 lead. It was not until Piscitelli singled through the right side of the infield in the top of the fifth to jump start a four-run frame, giving LIU Post an 8-5 advantage that they would not relinquish.
 
Andreoli added an insurance run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth, and Vaglica followed with an opposite-field homer down the right field line to put the game away as the Pioneers took the opener, 10-6, securing at least a series split with the Purple Knights.
 
Game Two – LIU Post 5, Bridgeport 3
 
Spitaleri continued to have the hot bat in game two, driving home three runs, including a much-needed insurance run in the top of the seventh inning.
 
Following four scoreless innings, both teams broke out in the fifth frame. LIU Post took the lead with four runs in the top of the inning, scoring two on a Piscitelli single and adding the final run on a Spitaleri single. Bridgeport cut the deficit down to one run though in the bottom of the frame, as Daren Grabowski lifted a three-run home run down the left field line. The Purple Knights could only manage two base runners the rest of the way, however, and Spitaleri delivered another RBI-single to keep Bridgeport out of reach.
 
The Pioneers will have a much needed five days off after playing six games in six days this week. The team returns to action on Thursday, April 5 when Pace University comes to town for a non-conference matchup beginning at 3:30 p.m.