FLUSHING, N.Y. – Shortly after the release of the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association East Region Poll (NCBWA), Post University Baseball and Queens College got set to face off in Flushing, New York on Monday afternoon in what would ultimately be a battle of regionally-ranked teams. After the third in the region Knights bested the newly 10^th in the region Eagles twice down in Florida, Post would avenge the pair of losses with a dominant 3-0 shutout win against Queens behind a stellar start from graduate right-handed pitcher Joe Christiana.

THE BASICS

Post University 3, Queens College 0

Post University (6-7)

Queens College (4-2)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Hitting with two outs in the first inning would be key to Post getting on the scoreboard as graduate outfielder DJ Caron's double followed by an RBI single from junior first baseman Chris Corchado gave them a 1-0 lead. Senior outfielder Michael Pavelchak tacked on another run for the Eagles in the second inning with his RBI single up the middle after junior third baseman Justin Rivera led off the inning with a double and junior infielder Hunter Keller walked.
 
Pavelchak would extend the Post lead to three runs in the fourth with his RBI double into right off of freshman starting pitcher Peter Nenadich III, who went only four innings in which he allowed three runs on six hits while striking out four and walking four. That would be it for the scoring on either side as pitching ruled over the final 4 ½ innings of the game.
 
For Post, it was the electric duo of Christiana and graduate right-handed pitcher Nathaniel Byrd leading the way to the Eagles' first shutout since April 22^nd, 2023 against the University of Bridgeport in which Christiana also got the start in that affair. After Christiana's seven innings in which he allowed no runs on six hits while striking out 11 and walking two, Byrd came in to finish the last two innings facing just seven batters while allowing only one hit and striking out two.
 
As a team, Post pitching manufactured 13 strikeouts to just two walks while allowing seven hits as they head into their Florida trip next weekend with a 3-0 win and riding a three-game winning streak.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Michael Pavelchak has now gotten on base in 22 straight games -- Pavelchak was 2-for-4 with a run scored and four walks 
• DJ Caron extended his hitting streak to eight straight games after going 1-for-4 in the game – Caron has recorded a hit for Post in all but two games this season
• Joe Christiana went seven innings allowing no runs on six hits while striking out 11 and walking two – This was Christiana's first time allowing no runs in a start since April 22^nd, 2023 against the University of Bridgeport when he allowed two hits across six innings, struck out five, and walked two
• After manufacturing 15 strikeouts last game, Post University had 13 strikeouts and only two walks – This is the second time this season in which the Eagles have struck out 10-plus batters in back-to-back games doing it in the first two games of the season
• Post University is now 4-1 so far this season when they score the game's first run

WHO'S NEXT
Post University heads down to Florida for five games starting this weekend with three games against Barry University. On Saturday, the Eagles will play a doubleheader against the Buccaneers with the first game scheduled to start at 1:00 PM. Post played last year against Barry down in Florida for the first time in program history, dropping the affair, 23-7.