Baseball

Walk-Off Single By Conto, Lifts Baseball Past USP, 6-5

April 19, 2008

WATERBURY, Conn.-Junior first baseman Jim Conto's (W. Hempstead, N.Y./Holy Trinity) had the game-winning hit, and junior third baseman Corey Huffine (Colorado Springs, Colo./McCook C.C.) went a perfect 5-for-5, as the Post University baseball team defeated University of the Sciences, 6-5, in the first game of a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) series on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Municipal Stadium.

The Eagles (12-21, 4-9 CACC) trailed 5-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, but scored three runs, with no outs, in their last at-bat to take the first game of the series. Junior second baseman Dan Luisi (Bethpage, N.Y./Holy Trinity) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, then stole second, and scored, when junior third baseman Huffine laced a double down the left field line, to cut the lead to 5-4. Huffine extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Post tied it at 5-5, when Huffine scored from second, when senior left fielder Eric Rovinetti (Watertown, Conn./Southern Connecticut State Univ.) had an infield single and went to second on an error. Junior Johnny Figueroa (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) sent Rovinetti over to third, with a bunt base-hit to first base, putting runners at the corners for Conto. The first baseman picked up his 22^nd RBI of the season with a single to the left field corner.

Huffine, gave the Eagles their first run of the afternoon, in the bottom of the first inning. He singled to left, then went to second on a stolen base, and advanced to third on a ground-out by Rovinetti. Figueroa then reached on an error, which allowed Huffine to score and give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.

USP (9-22, 5-11 CACC) scored three runs in the top of the second inning, as with the bases loaded, Steven Rossi roped a double down the left field line, to clear the bases, but he was thrown out at third, trying to extended it into a triple.

The Eagles got one of those runs back in the bottom of the second inning, as Huffine laced an RBI-single to right field, to plate senior centerfielder Chris Ouellette (Uncasville, Conn./Montville). Ouellette drew a two-out walk, and went to third on a base hit by Luisi.

USP added an unearned run in the top of the seventh inning, but junior right fielder Donnie Dlabola (Levittown, N.Y./Nassau C.C.) smacked a double down the right field line, which knocked in Conto, who was hit by a pitch to leadoff the inning.

Michael Curry had an RBI-single in the top of the ninth inning, to give the USP a 5-3 lead, before the Eagles won the game with three runs in their last at-bat.

Sophomore Tim McCarthy (Waterbury, Conn./Kennedy) picked up the win in relief of junior LHP Brendan Wyman (Manchester, Conn./Manchester), who despite getting touched for five runs, four earned, on six hits, struck out a season-high 10 batters. It was the fourth time this season that the Eagle pitching staff recorded 11 or more strikeouts in a game.

Huffine went 5-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and two runs batted in to lead the Eagles at the plate. Conto went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Dlabola went 2-for-4 with a double and a run batted in, while Luisi went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

The CACC series between the two teams will conclude on Sunday with a pair of seven-inning games. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m.