Waterbury, Conn. – The Post University baseball team gave everything it had in an attempt to win its first conference title, forcing a second game against Wilmington during the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championship, but falling just short. The Eagles won the first game, 6-5 before losing the second game, 8-6 to the Wildcats.
Post finishes its season 25-27 on the year and the North Division regular season champions. It was the first time the Eagles made the CACC Championship since 2010.
After conceding a run in the first inning of game one, Post's offense took control immediately as the first three batters of the inning reached base before Nate Miller hit a grand slam to left field putting Post up, 4-1. It was Miller's sixth homer of the season.
Wilmington added a run in the third before Jimmy Brennan and Robert Olah hit back-to-back RBI doubles to put Post up 6-2.
The Wildcats scored two more in the fifth, making it a 6-4 game.
Starter Nico Gaudio had a gutsy performance, pitching five innings, allowing five runs – four earned – on seven hits and four walks while striking out one.
The Eagles bullpen combination of Matthew Costello, Travvis Ferguson and Michael Pavelchak combined for four innings of three hit ball, securing the win as Pavelchak earned the save.
The Eagles jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second game of the day, with the first two coming on a two-run single by Jordan Glazer. A dropped fly ball by the right fielder off the bat of Miller scored Olah, who reached on a walk.
Post tacked on a run in the top of the second after Shane Lindemuth led off with a double to center followed by a sacrifice fly by Hunter Keller, making it a 4-0 game.
Wilmington scored one in the third and two in the fifth on RBI singles by J.J. Killen and Nick Hertzfeld, cutting the Eagles lead to 4-3.
However, the Eagles would get a run back in the top of the sixth on a throwing error off the bat of Lindemuth, making it a 5-3 game.
In the bottom of the inning, Wilmington took their first and only lead of the game. Shawn Haut and Adrian Jimenez reached base on singles, a ball hit by Erik Grady was thrown away to first, allowing Haut, Jimenez and Grady to score, giving Wilmington the 6-5 lead.
After Killen reached third on an error, he was driven in by Hertzfeld, giving Wilmington a 7-5 lead.
Wilmington added one more run in the seventh, making it an 8-5 game.
The Eagles attempted a rally in the top of the ninth as Olah had an RBI double to score Brennan who reached on an error. However, he was left stranded on second.
Olah was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Glazer was 1-for-4 with two RBI.
Olah, Pavelchak, Chas Cywin and Joe Christiana were named to the CACC All-Tournament Team.
