WATERBURY, Conn. – It was the way Post University Baseball needed to end the week as the offense came to life once again, pounding out 13 hits against Wilmington University at home on Sunday to come away with a 14-4 mercy rule win in eight innings, taking two-of-three from the defending conference champions over the weekend.
THE BASICS
Post University 14, Wilmington University 4 (8 Innings)
Post University (20-19, 14-9 CACC)
Wilmington University (25-12, 17-6 CACC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
While having an output of 14 runs, all 13 hits the Eagles had would end up being singles, as they struck for six first-inning runs started by graduate outfielder
Andrew Hartman's two-run single. The only other multi-RBI hit that anybody on Post would have come in the second inning as graduate infielder
Hunter Keller knocked in two with his single off of freshman pitcher Broody Gebhard, who relieved junior pitcher MJ Phillips.
Phillips, who got the start for the Wildcats, lasted just a third of an inning, allowing four runs on two hits with two walks, but all five of the Wilmington pitchers who pitched in the affair struggled. In all, the Eagles had 13 hits, which led to 14 runs (13 earned), with the main story being the 13 walks issued by the staff, including three hit batters, three wild pitches, and just four strikeouts.
On Post's side, all four runs they allowed ended up being unearned as junior right-hander
Zion Fraser got his first win of the season after throwing five innings and allowing three unearned runs on six hits with four strikeouts, two walks, and a hit batter. Senior right-hander
Harby Valera ended up earning his first save of the season and third of his career, pitching the final three innings of the game and allowing one unearned run on four hits with a walk.
Freshman infielder
Max DeFrancesco walked Post off in the bottom of the eighth with his RBI single, enacting the 10-run mercy rule victory for the Eagles, 14-4, moving them to 14-9 in conference play and one game up in fourth place in the standings.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Evan Cornwell finished today's doubleheader with three hits, moving his career total to 176 hits – Cornwell is 17 hits away from tying Dan Luisi for the most hits in program history at Post University
- Wilmington's pitching finished allowing 14 runs on 13 hits, while walking 13 batters across the five different pitchers they used in the eight-inning affair
- Manny Contreras currently holds an 18-game on-base streak, with Joey Cohen right behind him with a 17-game on-base streak following today's game
- In five of the last six matchups with Wilmington University, one or both teams have scored 10-plus runs in the affair, while six of the last seven games have gone less than nine innings overall
WHO'S NEXT
Post University hits the road for the next three games, taking on Felician University this Tuesday at 3:30 PM after splitting the doubleheader at Municipal Stadium last week.
