Baseball

March 27, 2008

ORANGEBURG, N.Y.-The Post University baseball team rallied from a 6-1 deficit, against Dominican College Thursday afternoon, to knot the game at 7-7 in the eighth inning. However, the Chargers pushed across one run in the bottom of the ninth to take the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) match up with the Eagles, 8-7, at Veteran' Memorial Field.

After falling behind, 5-0, the Eagles (7-12, 1-1 CACC) finally got on the board in the top of the fourth inning, as junior third baseman Corey Huffine (Colorado Springs, Colo./McCook C.C.) ripped a single to right, that plated junior centerfielder Donnie Dlabola (Levittown, N.Y./Nassau C.C.), who led the inning off with a single to right.

Dominican (7-12, 1-2 CACC) added a run in the home half of the fourth inning, to extend its lead to 6-1.

The Eagles put their second run on the board in the top of the sixth inning, as Huffine's groundout, plated sophomore shortstop Jose Reyes (Yonkers, N.Y./Roosevelt), who reached on an error, then went second on a passed ball, and advanced to third on a groundout, before coming home on Huffine's out.

Post continued to whittle away at the lead in the seventh inning, as junior first baseman Jim Conto (W. Hempstead, N.Y./Holy Trinity) was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, and eighth of the season, to start the rally for the Eagles. Dlabola and junior catcher Mike Moriarty (Long Beach, N.Y./Nassau C.C.) each singled to load the bases for Reyes, who's sacrifice fly plated Conto. Junior second baseman Dan Luisi (Bethpage, N.Y./Holy Trinity) drew a walk to load the bases once again, and walk to Huffine scored Dlabola, cutting the lead to 6-4.

Dominican added to its lead in the seventh, as Robert Iglesais drove in Marc Mortellaro with a run-scoring single to left field.

In the top of the eighth inning, the Eagles drew even with the Chargers thanks to three runs on two hits and two Charger errors. Junior DH Joe Proscia (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) reached on an error by the centerfielder, and went to second, to leadoff the inning. Senior Matt Mehlhouse (Stratford, Conn./Stratford) came in to pinch run for Proscia, and scored, as Conto extended his hitting streak to six games with a single through the right side of the Dominican infield.

Dlabola then drew a walk, which forced Dominican to make a pitching change, and the Eagle countered with inserting senior Chris Ouellette (Uncasville, Conn./Montville) as a pinch runner for Conto. Dlabola and Ouellette advanced on a double-steal, and Ouellette came home on an error, by the Dominican catcher. Dlabola went to third on a Moriarty groundout, and came home, with a Luisi single through the right side of the Dominican infield, to tie the game at 7-7.

With two outs and runners on the corners, pinch runner Nelson Cruz scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch.

Huffine went 3-for-5 with three runs batted in, to lead the Eagles at the plate. Dlabola went 2-for-5 with a walk and three runs scored. Conto went 1-for-3 with a walk a run scored and a run batted in. He has gotten on base in all but one of the games for the Eagles this season.

Post returns to CACC action on Tuesday, April 1, as it hosts Felician College, for a 3 p.m. first pitch at Municipal Stadium.