Final: LIU Post 7, Bridgeport 1
WP: Jake DeCarli (complete game)Thomas Asbaty: HR pic.twitter.com/zXjKItFtrg
aXcess Baseball (@axcessbaseball) May 11, 2017
Having a pitcher like Jake DeCarli (8-1) is a luxury that teams dream of. The senior continued his tremendous season with a complete game, allowing 0 ER with seven strikeouts to advance LIU Post to the winner’s bracket with a 7-1 win over Bridgeport.
“Jake, he’s our leader, he’s our guy that’s been here for four years, we were very comfortable in the situation we were in today with him starting,” said Head Coach Mike Gaffney. “Even with letting up the run in the first inning, we still felt good and he threw a complete game. He didn’t let up a run after the first inning and he didn’t let up a hit after the fourth inning. It’s same old story with him–we’re just lucky to have him,” he added.
The Pioneers’ offense was dormant for the first few innings, but they tied it up a 1-1 in the fourth inning on a solo shot by Thomas Asbaty (3-for-3). He hooked it right around the foul pole and the ball actually landed in foul territory, but it got them on the board.
A huge moment was in the sixth inning, when the Pioneers had runners on 2nd & 3rd with two out for Sal Geraci who was down 0-2 in the count. Denis Lyman hit him with the pitch to load up the bases for Joe Spitaleri.
He popped one up behind second base, the fielder drifted back and appeared to have it lined up but it clanked off his glove to allow two runs to score and the Pioneers took a 3-1 lead.
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Gaffney noted that they would’ve been comfortable with that lead, but they were able to add-on runs with a two-run single by Kenny Daley on a bloop single down the right field line.
They added one in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Jimmy Mendyk and another in the eighth on an RBI ground out by Rob Andreoli.
DeCarli was lights-out, and did not allow even a glimmer of hope for Bridgeport. They advance to face St. Thomas Aquinas tomorrow in the winner’s bracket.
