WATERBURY, Conn. – The bats came to play for both Post University Baseball and Southern Connecticut State University during their Sunday afternoon doubleheader at Municipal Stadium as the Eagles overcame a six-run deficit in game one to extend their winning streak to nine straight games, winning 13-10, before seeing it come to a halt in game two with a 13-2 loss at the hands of the Owls.

The nine-game winning streak for Post tied its second-longest in program history, while its six-game winning streak in the head-to-head series against Southern Connecticut was the longest before being snapped in game two. 

THE BASICS

Post University 13, Southern Connecticut State University 10
 
Post University 2, Southern Connecticut State University 13 (7 Innings)
 
Post University (14-9)

Southern Connecticut State University (14-9)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game 1: Post University 13, Southern Connecticut State University 10
For Southern Connecticut, they struck early and often against graduate right-hander Joe Christiana to the tune of six runs over the first three innings of the affair. In all, the top three hitters in senior infielder Chad Fedeli, sophomore catcher Brennan Staubley, and senior outfielder Jake Gruttadauria combined to go 6-for-14 with six runs based in for the Owls.

However, after taking that 6-0 lead, graduate right-hander Colin Blake ran into trouble in the bottom of the third, leading to an eight-run frame for Post to take an 8-6 lead, which they would not look back from en route to their ninth straight win. The Eagles would string together seven hits, including five consecutive hits with the heart of the order, before Blake was pulled after hitting freshman infielder Rene Vega III and walking senior utility player Damaurys Rodriguez, which tied the game at six all. 

In relief, junior right-hander Jaylen Cruz allowed the go-ahead two-run single to senior third baseman Justin Rivera, closing the line on Blake with eight runs on seven hits with four hit batters, three walks, two wild pitches, and two strikeouts. As for Christiana, he would end up settling in to get his third win of the season after going five innings, allowing six runs on 11 hits with four strikeouts and a wild pitch.

For both teams, all nine of their batters in the lineup would record at least one hit, with junior third baseman Derrick Jagello having a game-high 4-for-5 day for Southern Connecticut. Rivera and Staubley both led their respective teams with three RBIs each as the Eagles held off a late comeback attempt by the Owls to secure their ninth straight win in a 13-10 slugfest. 

Game 2: Post University 2, Southern Connecticut State University 13 (7 Innings)
Graduate first baseman Jack Drewry paced the Owl offense in game two with four RBIs as part of his 2-for-5 game in which Southern Connecticut took a quick 2-0 lead in the third off the bat of Fedeli and Gruttadauria via an RBI double and RBI single, respectively. In a game that saw the Eagles in a pitch-by-committee format, spreading the wealth among their arms, sophomore left-hander Kyle Sparks would end up being handed the loss after allowing four runs on four hits with two strikeouts and a walk in his 2 1/3 innings of relief. 

Graduate catcher Isaiah Velazco tied the game up in the fourth with his first home run of the year, a two-run shot to right off of graduate left-hander Steve Phillips, who ended up picking up his first win of the season on the mound. Phillips spun six innings in which he allowed just that home run on five hits with four strikeouts, three hit batters, and one walk before senior right-hander Keegan Diagle closed out the seventh with two strikeouts and two walks. 

The Owls would put up 11 runs of offense through the final three innings of the affair, plating six in the fifth inning to regain the lead and then adding onto it in the seventh with five more runs en route to their 13-run performance. Staubley tacked on three more hits, including another double, with three RBIs, while Fedeli went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, and three runs scored to help lead Southern Connecticut to the 13-2 win in the weekend finale, snapping Post's win streak at nine games.
  
BY THE NUMBERS

• Jesse Alfalla reached base safely in both games for Post University today, extending his on-base streak to all 20 games he has played for the Eagles so far this season 
• Recording three hits across the doubleheader today, Hayden Roberge recorded his 100th career hit between his time at Norwich University and with Post University 
• Joe Christiana's win on the mound in game one was the 21st of his career, bringing him within one of tying the program record set at 22 wins by Nick Arnold from 2015-18
• Seeing their win streak come to a close at nine straight games, that win streak ties the second-longest in program history for Post University – The last time the Eagles won nine straight games was from March 26th, 2023, to April 15th, 2023 

WHO'S NEXT
Back to conference play for the rest of the season, Post University continues what will be a six-game homestand when it is all set and done on Tuesday afternoon at Municipal Stadium against Wilmington University for a doubleheader starting at 12:00 PM. The Eagles had their three-game winning streak against the Wildcats snapped last season when they were swept on the road by them, 9-6 and 22-3, in their doubleheader in April.