Baseball

February 24, 2008

MURFREESBORO, N.C.-The Post University baseball team received two solid plate performances from newcomers, junior shortstop Corey Huffine (Colorado Springs, Colo./McCook C.C.) and junior catcher Mike Moriarty (Long Beach, N.Y./Nassau C.C.), as the Eagles dropped a twinbill to Chowan University, Sunday afternoon at Hawkins Field.

Chowan (11-3) took both ends of the twinbill, winning the first game 7-6, and 4-0 in the nightcap, for its sixth win in a row. Post (0-2) made its season-debut on Sunday afternoon.

"Those were two very well played games, the type of games that you see late in the year," Head Coach AJ McNamara said following the games on Sunday. "This experience against a very good southern program was very good for our players. I thought our guys showed signs of solid play; considering it was our first games of the year, and it was against a team who has been playing on the field for weeks."

Huffine was 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored, while Moriarty was 2-for-4 with three runs batted in and a run scored, in their debuts for Post.

Post put the first run of the day in the top of the second inning of the first game, when Moriarty's RBI-single, plated senior left fielder Eric Rovinetti (Watertown, Conn./Southern Conn. State Univ.), who reached on a fielder's choice.

Chowan tacked on two runs in the home half of the second, off a run-scoring single from Matt Crane and a balk that scored Billy Walling.

The Eagles took back the lead in the top of the fourth inning, with two runs on four hits. Moriarty's second RBI-single of the day brought home junior first baseman Jim Conto (W. Hempstead, N.Y./Holy Trinity), who drew a lead-off walk.

Senior centerfielder Chris Ouellette (Uncasville, Conn./Montville) kept the rally going with a single to left field, and a batter later, Huffine loaded the bases with a bunt single. that brought junior right fielder Donnie Dlabola (Levittown, N.Y./Nassau C.C.) to the plate. Dlabola laced a single to center, which brought home Moriarty.

Chowan scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, to take a 5-3 lead. The Eagles added a run in the top of the fifth inning, as Rovinetti drew a leadoff walk, and would come home on Moriarty's third RBI of the afternoon.

The Eagles took a 6-5 lead in the top of the sixth inning, as Dlobola lofted a sacrifice-fly plating junior second baseman Dan Luisi (Bethpage, N.Y./Holy Trinity). One batter later, Rovinetti smacked a single to left, bringing in Huffine.

But in the bottom of the sixth inning, Justin Hollingsworth's two-run base hit gave the Hawks a 7-6 lead. In their last at-bat, sophomore infielder Jose Reyes (Yonkers, N.Y./Roosevelt) led-off with a bunt single, and went to second on a sacrifice. But, the Eagle bats were unable to advance him, and the game ended.

Junior LHP Ben Schoenberg (Sugarland, Texas/Cedar Valley C.C.) made his first start for the Eagles giving up four runs, three earned on six hits and two walks in three and two-thirds innings. Sophomore RHP Michael Wolfe (0-1) (Ringwood, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) and senior RHP Nick Mangini (Patterson, N.Y./Carmel) pitched in relief for the Eagles.

It was an ole-fashion pitcher's dual in the nightcap, before the Hawks scratched a run across in the bottom of the fourth inning, when PJ Sadler stole home. Chowan added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, to take a 4-0 win in the backend of the doubleheader.

BJ Byerly kept the Eagles off the board giving up just two hits and four walks in six innings.

Junior LHP Brendan Wyman (Manchester, Conn./East Catholic) was touched for four runs, three earned on six hits and two walks in six innings. Wyman (0-1) struck out four, while retiring 7-of-9 batters at one point.

Rovinetti, Moriarty, and Reyes each had hits for the Eagles in the second game.

"Ben Schoenberg and Brendan Wyman threw very well," McNamara said. "Both threw strikes, and for the most part we kept Chowan's running game in check. Offensively, we have some things we need to work on and our players will continue to work hard moving into our next series."  

Post returns to the diamond on March 1, as it travels to Shepherd University for the start of a three-game series.