Baseball

Conto's RBI-Single Gives Baseball An 8-7 Win Over New Haven

April 10, 2008

WATERBURY, Conn.-Junior first baseman Jim Conto (W. Hempstead, N.Y./Holy Trinity) broke a 7-7 tie, with a single to centerfield in the bottom of the eighth inning, and senior Curtis Anthony (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) pitched two innings of scoreless baseball for his second win of the season, as the Post University baseball team defeated the University of New Haven, 8-7, Thursday afternoon at Municipal Stadium.

With the win, the Eagles improve to 11-14 overall, while New Haven falls to 13-14. Post has won each of the four home games this season, and has won 8-of-9 at home dating back to last season.

New Haven started the scoring in the top of the first inning, when Michael Moras grounded out to shortstop, allowing Kyle Donnelly, who singled to left field to come home and score the first run of the game.

The Eagles tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning, as junior third baseman Corey Huffine (Colorado Springs, Colo./McCook C.C.) laced a triple to the wall in right field, that brought home senior centerfielder Chris Ouellette (Uncasville, Conn./Montville), who drew a leadoff walk.

New Haven would score one run in the top of the fourth inning, off a double-steal that scored Dan Rosa and two runs in the top of the fifth inning off an RBI-single from Chad Lemos, and a sacrifice-fly from Rosa.

However, the Eagles scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, sending 10 runners to the plate. After Ouellette and junior second baseman Dan Luisi (Bethpage, N.Y./Holy Trinity) drew one-out walks, Huffine hit a fly-ball that appeared to be caught by the left fielder, but popped out, allowing Ouellette to score from second. Senior DH Eric Rovinetti (Watertown, Conn./Southern Connecticut State Univ.) then stroked a single down the right field line, to plate Luisi.

After a pitching change, Conto walked to load the bases, for junior right fielder Johnny Figueroa (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College), who laced a two-run single to right, that scored Rovinetti and Huffine. Anthony, who started the game in left field, then ripped a double to left that knocked in Figueroa and Conto.

The Chargers added a run in the sixth inning, to cut the lead to 7-5. New Haven tied it with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, off of base hit from Donnelly that scored Adam Rozum, and Kyle Bombace scoring on a wild pitch.

When the Eagles came to bat in the eighth inning, Huffine singled to left, and Rovinetti reached on a fielding error by the shortstop to put runners on first and second for Conto, who came through with a single to center to score the winning run.

Figueroa led the Eagles at the plate as he went 4-for-5 with two runs batted in and a run scored. In his last four games, the Bronx native has gone 9-for-14 with a homerun, six runs batted in and three runs scored. Huffine went 2-for-5 with a RBI and two runs scored.

The two teams will meet again on Thursday, April 17, at Frank Vieira Field, in West Haven, Conn.

Post begins a six-game conference stretch with the start of a three-game series at Wilmington College Friday and Saturday afternoon.

The Eagles return to Municipal Stadium on Sunday, with a makeup game with Felician College. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.