WATERBURY, Conn. – It was an offensive slugfest for Post University Baseball on Tuesday afternoon in their conference doubleheader against Wilmington University, as the Eagles saw their 10-0 start in conference play come to a close as they were swept by the Wildcats, 19-14 and 14-12. In all, both teams combined for 59 runs, 55 hits, 16 hit batters, and 10 errors across their 16 innings of action, while there were a total of 22 different pitching appearances in that same span. 

THE BASICS

Post University 14, Wilmington University 19 
 
Post University 12, Wilmington University 14 (7 Innings)
 
Post University (14-11, 10-2 CACC)

Wilmington University (18-11, 8-4 CACC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game 1: Post University 14, Wilmington University 19
33 runs, 38 hits, and six combined errors highlighted a wild back-and-forth game one in which the Eagles took an early 7-2 lead before the Wildcats responded with 12 unanswered runs between the third and fifth innings. Freshman infielder Rene Vega III and graduate first baseman Hayden Roberge each had RBI singles in the first off of senior pitcher Scott Borgmann, leading to an early 3-0 lead for Post in the first inning.

After Wilmington got two runs back against graduate right-hander Matt Semon in the top of the second, four more runs came across the plate in the bottom half of the frame for Post as they opened up a five-run lead, 7-2. Senior utility Damaurys Rodriguez's RBI single, followed by graduate outfielder Isaiah Velazco's two-run triple, and a wild pitch from Borgmann highlighted the big inning for the Eagles.

From there on out, it would practically be all Wilmington as they tagged Semon and sophomore right-hander Jake Baumann for a combined 12 runs over the next three innings to take the lead and never look back. Sophomore shortstop Garrett Quinn went 4-for-5 with a double, four RBIs, two runs scored, a walk, and a stolen base to lead a Wildcat offense that had five players finish with three or more hits, and all by one starter record a hit in the 19-14 win.

At the top of the lineup for Post, sophomore infielder Jesse Alfalla and Vega III combined to go 5-for-10 with two RBIs, six runs scored, and two walks while a trio of Eagles finished with three-RBI games. Senior third baseman Justin Rivera, Velazco, and Roberge were each responsible for those performances, with Rivera having a 3-for-6 afternoon. 

Trailing by eight in the ninth, Post would scrape across three runs and put the tying run on deck with graduate outfielder Jaylen Kelley at the dish. In relief, senior pitcher Dom Marrotta would retire Kelley and the next batter in junior outfielder Harby Valera, ending the comeback bid for the Eagles while picking up his second save of the season in the process.

Game 2: Post University 12, Wilmington University 14 (7 Innings)
Sophomore outfielder Dario Sosa's dropped fly ball on the first pitch of the game helped Wilmington strike for four runs in the first, including a big two-run home run by senior outfielder Shawn Edevane off of sophomore right-hander Jack Martineau. But that lead would be short-lived as the Eagles answered back with a seven-spot in the bottom of the frame with the help of a bases-clearing triple by Alfalla as well as an RBI double from Velazco, and a two-run single from Valera.

Two innings later in the third, the Wildcats struck back for nine runs behind six hits and an error by the Post defense that gave them the lead, 10-7, which they would hang on to down the stretch for the 14-12 victory and the doubleheader sweep. The Eagles would have their chances along the way, including cutting the deficit in half in the third on a bases-clearing double from Rivera before stranding the bases loaded after junior pitcher John McCallister escaped the jam by getting Kelley to fly out. 

Junior catcher Manny Contreras would bring Post within two, 14-12, in the sixth as his two-out, two-run double led to sophomore pitcher Tyler Reinet being lifted for senior pitcher Alex Krick, who retired the tying run in Rivera via strikeout. Earning his second save of the afternoon was senior pitcher Dom Marotta, working a 1-2-3 seventh inning for the Wildcats.

Leading the offense for Wilmington was Edevane with a 1-for-2 game, hitting a home run while driving in three runs, walking twice, and scoring three times, while senior catcher Nick Classie was 2-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs, and a run scored. Rivera and Alfalla both led the charge for the Eagles as the latter was 1-for-5 with three RBIs while Alfalla went 3-for-5 with a triple, three RBIs, and two runs scored. 
  
BY THE NUMBERS

• Jesse Alfalla reached base safely in both games for Post University today, extending his on-base streak to all 22 games he has played for the Eagles so far this season
• In all, the two teams combined for 59 runs, 55 hits, 16 hit batters, and 10 errors across their 16 innings of action today 
• Hayden Roberge was hit three times in game two while finishing the game, getting hit four times overall -- Post University was hit 12 total times across the two games 
• Post University saw its 16-game winning streak in conference play come to a close after being beaten in game one by Wilmington University – The Eagles also fell to 10-2 in conference play, halting their best undefeated start in program history 

WHO'S NEXT
Post University finishes its six-game homestand with a doubleheader against Felician University this Saturday at Municipal Stadium starting at 12:00 PM. Last season, the Eagles went 3-1 during the season against the Golden Falcons, with their last game coming in the CACC Tournament in which Post came out on top, 10-5.