by Danny Gatta
The series opener of a four game series between conference opponents Dowling and LIU Post featured Dennis Buckstein and Jake DeCarli. The game was mostly dominated by the Pioneers, who held a 4-2 lead entering the eighth.
Dowling rallied for nine runs in the eighth inning, and won the game 11-4.
Pioneers’ Rob Andreoli started the game by ripping a double to centerfield. After loading the bases with a HBP and walk, freshman Dave Brehm lined a double through the right side to give Post the early 2-0 lead.
Photo Credit: Danny Gatta
Dowling answered back in the bottom of the inning. A two-out triple to dead center by RJ Going followed by a bloop single over the second baseman’s head off the bat of Mike Rizzitello cut the lead in half, making it 2-1 Post after one.
LIU Post would get the run right back off Buckstein with back-to-back doubles by James Cohen and Andreoli.
DeCarli pitched well, getting through innings two and three unscathed. He would give up an RBI single to Chris Appell in the fourth, cutting the lead to 3-2. DeCarli finished his day allowing two runs and eight hits while striking out four in seven innings of work.
Dowling’s Andrew Sesto would relieve Buckstein in the fifth, and prove to be the difference maker for the Golden Lions. He would hold the Pioneers to just four hits for the rest of the game.
Sesto ran into a bit of trouble in the seventh, putting runners on second and third with one out. He would register back-to back strikeouts to end LIU Post’s threat to add to their lead. Coach Caputo was thrilled with Sesto’s performance.
“He hasn’t pitched in a while, but pitched great this afternoon. He had two huge back-to-back strikeouts there to get us out of the inning.”
LIU Post pitcher Robert Paccione took the mound to start the eighth. A walk and consecutive singles cut the lead to one. A bloop single by Appell knotted the game at four. With two outs, catcher Chris Russo delivered a single up the middle to give Dowling a 6-4 lead, their first of the afternoon.
J.P. Lipovac entered for Post, but the rally continued. After a walk, Rob Costanzo’s two-run triple to left field broke the game open. Three more consecutive RBI hits allowed the Golden Lions to bat around for a nine-run inning, and an 11-4 advantage over LIU Post.
When asked about the eighth inning, Caputo chuckled a bit. “I tell my guys all the time, its conference baseball man, crazy, crazy things can happen. Nine runs is not something that happens too often on this level, let alone in one inning.”
This was the first of a four game set between these teams. Dowling improved to 3-2 in conference play, and LIU Post fell to 2-7 in conference. They will meet again tomorrow in Brookville for a doubleheader starting at 12pm.
