The LIU Post won their eighth game in their last nine tries, and this was an important one–as they punch their ticket to the ECC Championship. They will now have to win just one of two games tomorrow to capture their second ECC Championship in the past three seasons.
The offense came to play today, they put up 11 runs on 15 hits. The biggest contributor was Mike Manzione, who homered twice (his 8th and 9th of the season). They wasted no time in this one–as they posted a three-spot in the first inning against Bridgeport starter Chris Martucci.
Chris Wasson got it going with an RBI double to score Giovanni Ciaccio. A sac fly by Dave Brehm scored Wasson and Manzione’s first home run made it 3-0.
LIU Post LHP Noah Lorenzo continued his strong season. He fired scoreless innings through the first frames.
The Pioneers added three more in the fourth on a two-run shot by Andy Camilo and a sac fly by Ciaccio. In the fifth inning, Manzione’s second HR of the day extended the lead to 8-0.
The Bridgeport offense woke up in the bottom of the fifth on a pair of solo shots by Joey Grillo and Patrick Palmer to make it 8-2.
Things got a bit dicey in the bottom of the sixth inning when Grillo stepped up with two runners on and launched his second home run in as many innings. The Rocky Point grad cut the deficit to 8-5.
LIU Post was not about to let this one slip away though, as they tacked on three more runs in the latter innings to open up an 11-5 lead.
Lorenzo wound up firing his seventh complete game of the season, and improved his win total to nine against four losses. He has a solid ERA of 2.68 and a total of 90.2 IP on the season.
Manzione, Camilo and Michael Greene all had three hits on the game.
With the victory, the Pioneers have now won 35 games on the season. Additionally, they will likely send ECC Pitcher and Rookie of the Year Joshua Loeschorn to the mound on full rest. He has enjoyed an outstanding freshman campiagn in which he has posted an unblemished 9-0 record with a 1.49 ERA.
