Baseball

Baseball Eclipses 20-Win Plateau, In Doubleheader Sweep Of Nyack

April 30, 2008

WATERBURY, Conn.-Junior Ben Schoenberg (Sugarland, Texas/Cedar Creek C.C.) gave up just one run in the opener and senior Curtis Anthony (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) had the game winning hit in the nightcap as the Post University baseball team swept Nyack College, on a cool Wednesday afternoon at Municipal Stadium. Post won the first game 3-1 and after trailing from a 4-0 deficit, came back to win the nightcap 6-4.

"It's a great accomplishment for these guys," Head Coach AJ McNamara said following the games "It's a sign the program is rapidly heading in the right direction."

With the win the Eagles improve to 21-22 overall and 12-10 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC). Nyack falls to 12-25 overall and 10-15 in the CACC.

"It's a tribute to all the hard work and dedication that the players put forth each and everyday to get themselves better," McNamara added. "They listen and absorb everything we have to teach them about the game of baseball and it has paid dividends in just our second year together. I couldn't be more proud of a group of individuals for how quickly they have embraced our philosophy."

The Eagles have won 10 of their last 11 games, including the last six in a row. It is the first time since 2004, that the Eagles have won 20 or more games. The Eagles are just one win shy of tying the school-record for wins in a season.

In the first game, Schoenberg (6-1) picked up his second win of the season against the Warriors, scattering one run on five hits and no walks, while striking out eight hitters in a complete-seven inning game. He retired 19 of the last 22 batters he faced, while earning his sixth win of the season. On April 8, he allowed just one run on three hits and 10 strikeouts.

Nyack managed just one run against the Texan, as Joseph Parisi's single deflected off the outstretched glove of third baseman junior Corey Huffine (Colorado Springs, Colo./McCook C.C.), which drove in Roy DiLerto, who led the game off with a triple to the gap in left centerfield.

Schoenberg would get out of the inning, and settled down and retired eight of the next nine batters that he faced.

Post would take the lead in the bottom of the third inning, as Huffine laced a double down the left field line, and senior Eric Rovinetti (Watertown, Conn./Southern Connecticut State Univ.) and junior Johnny Figueroa (Bronx, N.Y./Monroe College) drew back-to-back walks to load the bases for junior Jim Conto (W. Hempstead, N.Y./Holy Trinity). Conto ripped a two-run single up the middle to plate both Huffine and Rovinetti, and give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.

Figueroa added to the Eagles' lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he ripped a double to the warning track in centerfield to plate junior Dan Luisi (Bethpage, N.Y./Holy Trinity).

Conto went 1-for-3 with two runs batted in, while Figueroa went 1-for-2 with a double and a run batted in for the Eagles. Luisi and Huffine each went 1-for-3 with a run scored. Huffine pounded out his 12^th double of the season.

Nyack took a 4-0 lead in the nightcap, scoring runs in the top of the third and top of the fourth innings, before the Eagles scratched their way back into the game with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, and four runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the 6-4 win.

In the bottom of the fifth, junior Joe Proscia (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) tripled to right field to lead-off the inning. He came home, when junior Donnie Dlabola (Levittown, N.Y./Nassau C.C.) reached on a fielding error by the Nyack shortstop. Dlabola would later come around to score, when Huffine reached on an error by the second baseman.

Rovinetti led-off the sixth inning with a double to left centerfield, which chased Nyack starter Eric Lloyd. Reliever Cody Levins, who moved over from first base, Figueroa then laced a triple to the wall in left centerfield, to plate Rovinetti and cut the lead to 4-3. Conto was then hit by a pitch, and went to second, when Figueroa was picked off at third.

Proscia walked to put runners on first and second, and Dlabola singled to left to load the bases. Sophomore Jose Reyes (Yonkers, N.Y./Roosevelt) was retired, and Anthony came to bat, pinch-hitting for Ouellette. Anthony made the most of it, lacing a shot to left field to plate Conto and Proscia, and give the Eagles a 5-3 lead. Luisi kept the hit parade going with a double to right-center to knock in Dlabola.

Sophomore Tim McCarthy (Waterbury, Conn./Kennedy) pitched two and two-thirds innings of relief to get his fourth win of the season and second in as many outings. McCarthy (4-3) gave up just one hit while striking out one batter. McCarthy was coming off a solid performance in last Saturday's win over Bloomfield, in which he gave up one run on five hits, while striking out a career-high eight batters in seven innings. In his last four outings he is 3-0 with a save.

Proscia went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, while Luisi had a pair of hits, including his fourth double of the season and a run batted in. Dlabola went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Rovinetti went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

The Eagles will travel to Chestnut Hill on Friday for the final road game of the regular season. Post will host Chestnut Hill on Sunday for a pair of seven-inning games beginning at 12 p.m. The regular season concludes on Monday with a pair of seven-inning games against Philadelphia University. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.