Baseball

March 1, 2008

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va.-The Post University baseball team, dropped a non-conference doubleheader with Shepherd University on Saturday afternoon at Fairfax Field. The Rams rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, to win in the opener, 8-7, and took the nightcap 2-0.

"We're battling with some pretty solid programs but we're just not getting any breaks right now," Head Coach AJ McNamara said following the doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. "We have yet to put together a complete game in order to grab a win, but our best baseball is still ahead of us."

In the first game, the Eagles (0-4) led 7-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh and final inning, but Shepherd (2-0) scored three times in its last at-bat to come away with the victory.

Post broke the ice first in the top of the first inning, as junior shortstop Corey Huffine (Colorado Springs, Colo./McCook C.C.) (1-4, 2 Runs, 1 RBI) roped a double to right centerfield, knocking in junior second baseman Dan Luisi (Bethpage, N.Y./Holy Trinity) (1-4, 2 Runs), who led the game off lacing a triple down the right field line.

Shepherd tied it in the bottom of the second inning, with an RBI-single with the bases loaded from Chris Wilkins. The Rams added one more run in the bottom of the fourth and three more in the bottom of the fifth to take a 5-1 lead heading into the top of the sixth inning.

In the top of the sixth inning, Luisi and Huffine reached on a pair of Ram errors, then  junior catcher Joe Proscia (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) (1-2, 2 Runs, 2 RBI) ripped a two-run single to left center.

Two batters later, the Eagles loaded the bases, on a hit by pitch by junior right fielder Donnie Dlabola (Levittown, N.Y./Nassau C.C.) and a single to right field, by junior first baseman Jim Conto (W. Hempstead, N.Y./Holy Trinity). Proscia would score, on a throwing error by the Shepherd third baseman on a ball put in play by red-shirt third baseman Steve Giffin (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock).

In the top of the seventh, with two outs and the bases loaded, Dlabola drew a walk to drive in Huffine. Conto then reached on a fielding error by the Shepherd shortstop which plated Proscia and senior left fielder Eric Rovinetti (Watertown, Conn./Southern Connecticut State Univ.), to take a 7-5 lead.

However, Shepherd received a two-run double from Justin Daily, and Drew McCormick knocked in the game-winning run with a RBI-double to left center, to take the opener, 8-7.

Brandon Armentrout gave up one earned run and two walks while striking out five in five and two-thirds innings for Shepherd.

Junior LHP Brendan Wyman (Manchester, Conn./East Catholic) started for the Eagles and gave up five runs on five hits and two walks in four and two-thirds innings. Sophomore LHP Tim McCarthy (Waterbury, Conn./Kennedy) gave up two runs on two hits, in one and two-thirds innings. Senior RHP Nick Mangini (Patterson, N.Y./Carmel) was tagged with the loss.

Like the second game of the doubleheader at Chowan last Sunday, the second game of today's double-dip was an ole-fashion pitcher's dual, as the Eagles received a solid pitching performance from sophomore Richie Pierro (Essex, Mass./Ipswich). Pierro (0-1) allowed just two runs on four hits and one walk, while striking out four batters in six innings of work.

After retiring the first five batters he faced, Pierro ran into trouble in the fourth inning, allowing a two-run homerun to Neil Toothman. He was able to shake it off and retire the last eight batters that he faced.

Matt McCarty picked up the win for Shepherd scattering just two hits and two walks in seven innings. McCarty (1-0) struck out four Eagles in the win.

"Our starting pitching and our defense have been performing well," McNamara added. "We're just still a bit behind offensively, but that's expected in the early part of the year facing good teams."

The series concludes on Sunday afternoon with a single nine-inning game. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. at Fairfax Field.