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Post University Athletics

BSE CACC Champions 2024
Derek Mosher
4
Winner Post POST 28-19
3
Jefferson JEFFERSO 32-15
Winner
Post POST
28-19
4
Final
3
Jefferson JEFFERSO
32-15
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Post POST 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 4 9 1
Jefferson JEFFERSO 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 7 0

W: Martineau, Jack (4-2) L: A. Pillari (1-1) S: Semon, Nick (2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Michael Vesci, Director of Athletic Communications

Sweet History! Rivera's Ninth Inning Single Gives Baseball First CACC Championship and NCAA Tournament Berth

WATERBURY, Conn. – On Saturday afternoon, the Post University Baseball team made history, winning their first Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship with a 4-3 victory over South Division and tournament top seed Jefferson University at Municipal Stadium in a game that was a microcosm of the tournament run the Eagles had.
 
For the third straight game, Post found themselves trailing by multiple runs which threatened to send the championship to an "If Necessary" game, but yet again the Eagles found a way to come back. A three-run fourth inning followed by junior third baseman Justin Rivera's go-ahead single in the ninth and sophomore right-hander Nick Semon's scoreless finish helped Post win their first CACC Championship in their four tries since 2010 when they first made it to the finals.

THE BASICS

N#1 Post University 4, S#1 Jefferson University 3

N#1 Post University (28-19)

S#1 Jefferson University (32-15)

HOW IT HAPPENED
In his first start in nearly a month, freshman right-hander Jack Martineau was given the ball in game one of potentially two with a chance to send the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament. Going against sophomore outfielder Joshua Lopez with two on and two out in the first inning, Martineau would allow two runs with Lopez's double which gave the Rams an early 2-0 lead.
 
While Post would have no response for junior left-hander Sean Morgan through the first three innings, Jefferson would tack on one more after an infield error put freshman infielder Justin Egner on for senior infielder Chris McLean to double him home following a wild pitch by Martineau. But the freshman would settle in after allowing three runs on three hits through three innings to pitch what would end up being a gem.
 
Martineau finished the game having gone eight innings, allowing just two more hits through the final five innings of work, while striking out four, walking one, and throwing 113 pitches before being lifted for Nick Semon in the ninth. But along the way, the Eagles made their way back into the game first against Morgan and then graduate right-hander Anthony Pillari who was the hero against Goldey-Beacom two nights ago.
 
Morgan was pulled in the fourth after back-to-back doubles by junior first baseman Chris Corchado and junior catcher Jimmy Brennan plated one and runners were on the corners with just one man down. In came senior right-hander Anthony Bobadilla who allowed three straight singles to Rivera, junior infielder Hunter Keller, and senior outfielder Danny Gill which tied the game up at three with the bases loaded still.
 
Bobadilla would come back to get senior outfielder Michael Pavelchak to ground into a double play to end the inning, before setting in for the next four innings in which he allowed just one more hit and allowed no more runs to send the game still tied at three all heading into the ninth where Pillari entered looking to keep things the same after Bobadilla allowed a leadoff single to graduate outfielder DJ Caron.
 
Pillari would end up allowing senior outfielder Jaylen Kelley to single Caron over to third who was running on the pitch and then came the go-ahead hit from Rivera to make it a 4-3 game. While Pillari escaped second and third with one out to keep the deficit at one run, Nick Semon would still have to get three more outs to secure the CACC crown for Post.
Back-to-back singles threatened to sink the Eagles' title hopes, but senior utilityman Marquise Wood's slip going to second and a failed bunt attempt by Joshua Lopez which was caught by Brennan, kept runners at first and second rather than on the corners or second and third. That would prove costly for the Rams as sophomore infielder Gabe Silva's runner advancing ground out to Corchado left it all up to freshman catcher Lou Spadafora with two outs.
 
With their season on the line, Spadafora would chop the ball back to Nick Semon on the mound who tossed it over to first, sealing the 4-3 win and the first NCAA Tournament berth in the history of the Post University Baseball program.

BY THE NUMBERS
  • Michael Pavelchak has reached base safely in 28 straight games after going 1-for-4 with a single and a walk
  • With 189 career hits after today, Michael Pavelchak is four hits away from tying Dan Luisi for the most hits in Post University Baseball program history
  • Jimmy Brennan is also closing in on the all-time hit record as he now has 181 career hits following today's game which puts him 12 away from tying Dan Luisi's record
  • Post University remains 19-7 on the season when they score the game's first run while moving to 9-12 when allowing the first run of the game – The Eagles won all three games of the CACC Tournament after allowing the first run in each of them
  • This was the first time in program history in which Post University entered the CACC Championship Game in the winner's bracket and won the CACC Tournament after losing each of the last two years and back in 2010
WHO'S NEXT
Post University waits for the NCAA DII Selection Show, which is set to take place on Sunday night at 10:30 PM, to see where they will be going for the NCAA Regional next weekend. The link to the Selection Show will be available on the NCAA's website around the time the show is set to begin.






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