WATERBURY, Conn. – A pair of comebacks came up just short for Post University Softball on their Sunday afternoon Senior Day at LaMoy Field. After coming from behind to force extra innings in game one, the Eagles would nearly come back again down four runs in the eighth before falling 7-6, while nearly overcoming a five-run deficit in game two but coming up short again, 10-9.

THE BASICS

Post University 6, Jefferson University 7 (8 Innings)
 
Post University 9, Jefferson University 10

Post University (4-24, 1-11 CACC)

Jefferson University (10-7, 4-2 CACC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game 1: Post University 6, Jefferson University 7 (8 Innings)
Three runs to start off the game would help the Rams jump out to an early lead on Post as a sacrifice fly by freshman infielder Sabrina Pastino off of senior right-hander Jenny Riquelme made it an early 1-0 lead in the first. Two more runs came across in the third as junior infielder Bridget Shields lifted a two-run double over the head of senior outfielder Carli Perruso to extend Jefferson's edge to 3-0.

But the Eagles would respond to tie the game up at three-all as a line drive single off the wrist of senior right-hander Gianna DeLorenzo gave Post one run back in the third to start the rally. DeLorenzo would be shaken up briefly but remained in the game the rest of the way and escaped the inning without further damage. But senior catcher Julianna Cicala's two-run single in the fifth plated two more runs for the Eagles, tying it up at three apiece and eventually forcing extra innings.

With Riquelme still on the mound, Jefferson's offense would finally solve the right-hander as the teams entered extra innings as an RBI single from senior infielder Victoria Juckniewitz and a two-run single by Shields around a throwing error by junior infielder Brooke Dickenson led to four runs for the Rams in the top half of the inning.

With their backs against the wall, a single by senior outfielder Julia Maida got a mini-rally started when freshman utility player Allysa Calabrese reached safely on a fielding error to put the tying run on deck. Brooke Dickenson would plate Maida with her RBI single and then another infield hit, this time by Perruso, brought Post within one with the top of the lineup at the plate.

But DeLorenzo would come back to get graduate outfielder Samantha Riccardulli to foul out to third and prevent Post from completing the comeback. In the win, DeLorenzo went eight innings while allowing six runs (two earned) on 12 hits with five strikeouts and no walks.

Game 2: Post University 9, Jefferson University 10
Hits came aplenty for both teams in game two as well with the Rams jumping out to a 6-0 lead in the second inning before Post slowly tried to chip away and get back into the game. Six straight singles following an error by Brooke Dickenson at short plated all six runs with nobody out before senior right-hander Maddison Caldwell was eventually able to escape the inning with no further harm.

The Eagles would begin to crawl back into the contest right away as Riccardulli singled home a run in the bottom of the second and a wild pitch by sophomore pitcher Annabella Zito in the third gave Post another to make it a 6-2 game. Creeping to within one in the fourth, senior shortstop Caitlin DeAngelis took Zito deep for a three-run home run and just like that it was a new ballgame as the Eagles made it a one-run affair, 6-5.

But the momentum would come to a grinding halt in the fifth as Jefferson answered back with four runs of their own with three more singles and a sacrifice fly which was part of a balanced attack on the offensive side of the ball. The Eagles nearly got one back in the fifth as a shallow fly ball by Perruso eluded two outfielders and rolled all the way to the wall for what was almost an inside-the-park home run. But Perruso would stop at third with a triple before the inning came to a close with nobody scoring for Post.

Senior infielder Lily Tomasiello got one back for the Eagles in the sixth with an RBI single before they had their last opportunity to make a comeback in the seventh. Four singles and a wild pitch helped make it a two-run ballgame, 10-8, with still nobody out causing the Rams to go back to DeLorenzo in hopes of picking up the save.

DeLorenzo forced DeAngelis into a fielder's choice, which scored a run to make it a 10-9 game, before retiring Cicala and Tomasiello on a pair of fly outs which secured the doubleheader sweep for Jefferson.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Caitlin DeAngelis and Samantha Riccardulli had big days in the doubleheader, going a combined 9-for-19 with six RBIs, two doubles, a home run, and four runs scored
• This is the first time this season in which Post University has recorded double-digit hits in both games of their doubleheader this season – Overall the Eagles had three games with 10-plus hits entering the day
• Post University is now 2-18 when allowing the first run of the game this season
• In the all-time series, Post University has been swept three of the last four years by Jefferson University with the outlier being 2022 when they swept the Rams at home

WHO'S NEXT 
Post University continues what will be a six-game homestand on Wednesday afternoon when they welcome Chestnut Hill College to LaMoy Field for a doubleheader starting at 2:00 PM. The Eagles have won 14 of their last 15 games against the Griffins dating back to 2016 and have won eight straight games in the all-time series entering this week.