Baseball Falls to C.W. Post in Windy Slugfest
Box Score DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (April 27, 2012) – The Mercy College baseball team hosted C.W. Post in a wind-induced slugfest, falling 16-7 in the non-conference matchup.
C.W. Post improves to 23-15 overall and 12-5 in the ECC, while Mercy drops to 6-32 (4-16).
The strong wind clearly affected several parts of the game, as pitchers struggled to get anything with movement over the plate and fielders were unable to track balls down in the air, which led to several extra bases and eight combined errors.
The Pioneers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and tacked another six on in the third before the Mercy offense could get going. The Mavericks picked up their first run in the bottom of the third as they loaded the bases and junior right fielder Andrew Bock (Malverne, N.Y.) singled to bring freshman second baseman Vinny Orlando (East Meadow, N.Y.) home.
Sophomore first baseman Nicholas Fiore (Wantagh, N.Y.) brought Bock home in the bottom of the fifth for Mercy's second run, but C.W. Post responded with a four-run sixth inning. Sophomore third baseman Ken Post (Closter, N.J.) plated Orlando again in the bottom of the frame but C.W. Post added another four runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Mercy was not fin9ished yet, however, as freshman catcher Sal Palumbo (Medford, N.Y.) and Orlando smacked RBI-singles in the seventh and junior centerfielder Nick Papas (Castleton, N.Y.) tripled to deep left-center to score Post and was brought home by sophomore shortstop Jeremy Lovera (Carmel, N.Y.) on a sacrifice fly.
Orlando finished the day 2-4 with a double, walk, two runs and an RBI while Post was 2-5 with a walk, one run and an RBI, Papas was 2-5 with a run and RBI and Bock went 2-4 with a run and RBI. Freshman left fielder Giovanni Lasalandra (Warwick, N.Y.) also recorded a two-hit day.
Sophomore Adam Rodriguez (Bronx, N.Y.) was tagged with the loss. Sophomore Stephen Mattina (Staten Island, N.Y.) and freshman Brian Solomon (Newburgh, N.Y.) pitched a scoreless inning apiece, with Mattina striking out one batter and Solomon whiffing two.
Sophomore third baseman Tom Tolan (Malverne, N.Y.) led the Pioneers at the plate going 3-5 with a walk, four runs and an RBI while junior shortstop Keith Herring (New York, N.Y. was 2-4 with a walk, three runs and two RBI. junior first baseman Kevin Chenicek (Levittown, N.Y.) and sophomore right fielder Ryan Sloane (Westbury, N.Y.)batted three runs in on one hit each, with Sloane also picking up two walks.
Junior Rafael Martinez (Bronx, N.Y.) picked up the win for the Pioneers after allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits and six walks while striking out three.
Head Coach Bob Greiner and the Mavericks will kick off a three-game weekend set with a doubleheader at St. Thomas Aquinas College (27-15, 12-5) tomorrow, Saturday, April 28 at 12:00 p.m.
