MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Day two of the Ripken Experience Northeast Challenge saw the LIU Post baseball team come up short in both ends of a doubleheader, as the Pioneers fell to Wilmington University 8-3 and Stonehill College 9-8 Feb. 23.
 
Senior Rob Andreoli drove in five runs on the day, going 4-for-10 at the plate with a home run and a double. Fellow senior Joe Spitaleri had another big day at the dish, finishing 5-for-9 with four doubles, while classmate Ramger Iglesias, and juniors Dave Brehm and Jimmy Mendyk tallied three hits apiece.
 
Game One – Wilmington 8, LIU Post 3
 
The Pioneers and Wildcats battled for the majority of the contest, but Wilmington exploded for five runs in its final two plate appearances to pull away late. After the Wildcats plated two runs in the top of the first inning, Andreoli responded with a two-run homer in the bottom half of the frame to level the scoring at 2-2. After four scoreless frames, Wilmington took the lead on a solo home run in the sixth and added three insurance runs in the eighth and two in the ninth to put the game out of reach.
 
Sophomore Noah Lorenzo tossed seven innings for the Pioneers, allowing six runs on eight hits while striking out four along the way.
 
Game Two – Stonehill 9, LIU Post 8
 
LIU Post struck first its second contest of the day, scoring in the bottom of the first when Andreoli brought home Iglesias with a groundout to put the Green and Gold ahead 1-0. The lead did not last long however, as Stonehill took the lead in the top of the second on a two-run double by Anthony Vargas. Andreoli brought the two teams level again in the bottom of the third with a two-out RBI single. After the Skyhawks took the lead once again in the fifth, it was Andreoli tying things up in the following at bat with an RBI groundout to make it 3-3 through five innings.
 
The back-and-forth action continued in the sixth as Stonehill brought home three runs on an RBI double, balk, and RBI single to take a 6-3 lead. But once again, the lead would not last long as Mendyk started the scoring with an RBI infield single and Spitaleri made it 6-6 with a two-run double to right field.
 
For the third straight inning, the Skyhawks pushed a run across in the seventh on a solo home run to left field, but the Pioneers answered in the bottom of the eighth when Iglesias plated junior Joe Piscitelli with another RBI infield hit, forcing the two teams to head into the final frame deadlocked at 7-7.
 
A one-out two-run double by the Skyhawks in the top of the ninth put gave them the lead for the fifth time during the game, and this time the comeback attempt came up short for LIU Post. After a walk and a single to begin the inning, the Pioneers grounded into a fielder's choice and popped up to third for two quick outs. Brehm kept the team's hopes alive with a two-out single to make it 9-8, but a groundout to first base ended the threat as Stonehill held on for the one-run victory.
 
The Pioneers return to action tomorrow for a matchup with Southern New Hampshire University at 9:30 a.m.