A ninth-inning single by Anthony Vaglica propelled L.I.U. Post to a 1-0 victory against St. Thomas Aquinas University in the winner’s bracket of the ECC tournament. It’s the second time in two weeks Vaglica has had the game-winning hit for Post.
It was a pitcher’s duel until the end as the starters on both sides threw eight scoreless innings. Noah Lorenzo got the win for post, he ended the day with eight innings pitched with three hits allowed along with two walks and eight strike outs. Closer Dan Jagiello earned his tenth save of the season allowing one hit and striking out two in his inning of work.
Joseph Pena led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk and a steal of second for STAC. He then nearly came around to score on a single by Anthony Shkrelja, but Post got the ball in from right quickly and he was stranded at third. Jagiello struck out the final batter and that was it.
Chris Cepeda got the loss today, but still pitched remarkably well. He gave up just the lone run in in nine innings of work while allowing five hits, one walk and striking out four.
In fact, both starters were perfect through the first three innings, and Lorenzo didn’t give up his first hit until there was one out in the fifth. A few times throughout the game he and Cepeda both found themselves in trouble, but excluding the top of the ninth they were able to find their way out of it.
Post’s Joe Spitaleri and STAC’s Giovanni Dingcong were the only two players with multiple hits.
After the game Post’s head coach, Mike Gaffney said: “[Cepeda] baffled us all game and we just got the big hit when we needed it… I just can’t say enough about our club, you know we had a lot of adversity these last few years and with the way we came out today I’m just so proud of them.”
With the incoming weather the third day of the ECC Tournament will resume Sunday at 10 A.M. Post will face the winner of tonight’s match up between STAC and Molloy.
