WATERBURY, Conn. – It all came down to the final game of the season for Post University Baseball to decide whether they would host the first round of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament in a best-of-three series. Entering the day, the Eagles needed either a win or at least a loss by Felician University to lock up the fourth seed and host at Municipal Stadium on Friday.
After eight strong innings from senior right-hander
Harby Valera, the wheels fell off for Post in the ninth, allowing six runs to the University of Bridgeport in a 7-3 loss, while the Golden Falcons came back to beat Dominican (N.Y.), 7-4, moments before that. With those results, the Eagles lock in at the fifth seed for the tournament, heading to four-seeded Felician on Friday for the best-of-three series, which starts at noon with a doubleheader. If the teams split on Friday, they will play a winner-takes-all game three on Saturday.
THE BASICS
Post University 3, University of Bridgeport 7
Post University (25-24, 19-14 CACC)
University of Bridgeport (21-23, 17-16 CACC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
For a majority of the game, the offenses for both teams were quiet as Bridgeport's starter in senior right-hander Brendan Palmer was used as an opener for two innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits with one strikeout. Both of Post's runs came in the first two innings via sacrifice flies from senior catcher
Manny Contreras and sophomore infielder
Rene Vega III to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
As Valera dealt on the mound, so would the Purple Knight bullpen, spearheaded by three innings of one-hit ball from senior right-hander Jonathan Siwiecki. It was not until the seventh inning that Post would get a runner in scoring position as sophomore left-hander Logan McGrath allowed back-to-back singles to junior outfielder
Joey Cohen and junior first baseman
Evan Urglavitch.
After junior outfielder
Kevan Diaz bunted and Cohen was thrown out at third, Vega III singled to left, loading the bases for the top of the order. But McGrath would come back to strike out sophomore infielder
Gill Dolan and junior infielder
Jesse Alfalla, ending the threat, and keeping the score at 2-1 after graduate outfielder Luke Meister got Bridgeport a run back with his sacrifice fly in the top of the frame.
While Valera ran into trouble with first and second in the eighth and two out, he would escape, ending his day with 107 pitches in which he allowed one run on five hits with five strikeouts and a walk. Junior right-hander
Zion Fraser would look to close out the win, securing Post a home playoff series, but gave up a single to sophomore infielder Anthony Matturro and, following a sacrifice bunt from senior shortstop Liam O'Neal, walked Meister, before being relieved by freshman right-hander
Jacob Schrage.
On a 3-2 pitch to junior infielder Anthony Armenia, he would line the go-ahead double, scoring two runs, making it a 3-2 game, before the Purple Knights tacked on four more against Schrage and freshman right-hander
Andrew Hardin via two RBI walks and a two-run double from Matturro. While the Eagles would get one back on an RBI single from Vega III with two outs, sophomore left-hander Alex Springer shut the door on the 7-3 come-from-behind win for Bridgeport, sending Post into the fifth seed.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Evan Cornwell finished today's game with one hit, moving his career total to 186 hits – Cornwell is five hits away from tying Dan Luisi for the most hits in program history at Post University
- Harby Valera had the best start of his career for Post University, going eight innings while allowing one run on five hits with five strikeouts and a walk on 107 pitches
- Across the three games between the two teams, Vincenzo Della Porta went 4-for-11 with four RBIs, two walks, and two runs scored for the University of Bridgeport
- Losing four straight to the University of Bridgeport, this is the longest losing streak for Post University in the all-time series since they dropped five straight matchups to the Purple Knights from 2003-06 -- The three-game season sweep is the first time since Bridgeport joined the CACC that they have swept Post
WHO'S NEXT
As the fifth seed in the CACC Tournament, Post University will head to Felician University, the fourth seed, for the second consecutive year to take on the Golden Falcons in a best-of-three series starting on Friday at noon. The two teams will play a doubleheader of nine-inning games that day, and should they split, game three will be on Saturday at noon.
