RUTHERFORD, N.J. – It was a rematch of the 2023 CACC Championship last May as Post University Baseball kicked off conference play against Felician University on Wednesday afternoon. After falling in the championship game last spring, the Eagles looked to avenge that loss and start off on the right foot in the hunt for the North Division title as well as the 2024 conference crown. In a game ruled by pitching, two early runs for Post would be enough to propel them to that first conference victory of the season, 4-1, over the Golden Falcons.

THE BASICS

Post University 4, Felician University 1     

Post University (9-13, 1-0 CACC)

Felician University (10-14, 0-1 CACC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams would send out their aces as senior right-hander Matt Semon took the mound against junior right-hander Mike Caldon. It was a matter of who would blink first and in the second it was Caldon who did just that as the Eagles took an early 1-0 lead on the Golden Falcons. After an error allowed junior third baseman Justin Rivera to reach first, the next two batters in senior shortstop Evan Cornwell and senior outfielder Jaylen Kelley got on after being hit by a pitch and singling respectively.

Caldon would come back to get the next two batters by the way of the strikeout until a passed ball allowed Rivera to score before he could end the inning by striking out senior outfielder Michael Pavelchak. Junior outfielder Chris Biolsi nearly tied the game in the bottom of the frame on his single, but the relay home from Pavelchak in right field mowed down sophomore catcher Jose David Medrano to end the inning. The momentum continued for Post in the third as an RBI double by Rivera after junior catcher Jimmy Brennan got an infield single helped them up their lead to two runs, 2-0, in the early innings.

Felician would get runners on second and third with one out in the third but only pushed across one run with senior infielder Dauri Genao's RBI single before Semon escaped trouble. Outside of that, both pitchers would continue to deal for their respective teams as Semon went seven innings allowing just that one run on six hits with four strikeouts and four walks. Caldon would give up one more run on a sacrifice fly to junior infielder Chris Corchado, finishing the day giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits with nine strikeouts and one walk.

The Eagle offense would manufacture one more run off junior right-hander Logan Waltz as a passed ball scored graduate outfielder DJ Caron to give Post a three-run lead entering the bottom of the ninth. Junior right-hander Brennan Holligan would shut the door on Post's 4-1 conference earning his second save of the year after pitching the final two innings in which he allowed just one hit and struck out three batters.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Thomas Kendrick led all batters with a 3-for-4 performance for Felician, singling three times in the loss while Justin Rivera was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored for Post
• Post University improves to 6-3 this season when scoring the game's first run and remains 3-10 when their opponent scores first in a game
• Post University pitching has allowed only one run in three outings this season after today's win, doing so against Palm Beach Atlantic and Franklin Pierce earlier in the season
• In the all-time series, Post has now won eight of their last nine games against Felician University with the sole loss coming in the second game of the CACC Championship Game last year

WHO'S NEXT

Post University closes out their three-game series with Felician University at home this Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 PM at Municipal Stadium. Game one will be nine innings followed by game two of the doubleheader which will be 30 minutes later and last seven innings.