Final: Adelphi 10, LIU Post 6
WP: Danny TaggartBrandon Morse: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R pic.twitter.com/6mSsOvgmfF
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) March 19, 2018
Despite being a non-conference game, this was a weekday game nobody wanted to lose. You could see the energy level was different and there was some chirping that’s typically reserved for the rivalry games.
Adelphi channeled their motivation into a 10-6 victory over LIU Post in a battle between Nassau County Div-II programs.
Early on, Adelphi was in charge as they took a 4-0 lead against LHP Noah Lorenzo, who entered the day with a 2.67 ERA and has been as steady as they come. After a 1-2-3 first inning, he ran into trouble when the Panthers smacked back-to-back doubles, the latter of which was Thomas Colombo who drove in freshman Tim O’Connor. The Panthers increased the lead to 4-0 after an RBI single by RF Brandon Morse and a two-run double by SS Tyler Becker.
It appeared the Panthers had this one in hand, but in the third inning they rallied. It started off with consecutive hit batters. Jimmy Mendyk scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 4-1. They tied the game in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Zach Fritz, a sac fly by Michael Mangione and an opposite field triple by Mendyk.
Taggart was on the ropes, but credit to him as he settled down.
The Pioneers went to the bullpen and called on sophomore Julien Arcos, who fired two shutout innings in the fourth and fifth.
The game swung in the seventh inning when the first seven batters reached base and the Panthers broke the game open with a six-spot. The go-ahead hit was an RBI single by Steve Withers on a grounder up the middle. They added runs on another run-scoring single by Jonathan Iadevaia, a bases-loaded walk by Brandon Morse, RBI ground out by Becker, an error and a sac fly by Colombo.
In the bottom of the eighth, Anthony Vaglica ripped a two-run shot through the wind to cut the deficit to 10-6, but ultimately David Butler would settle down and close the door.
Taggart earned the victory, as he pitched seven innings, allowed 4 ER, struck out five, walked one and hit two batters. It was his first win of the season after struggling his first couple outings.
“I had a rough fourth inning but I knew I had to put up some zeros,” he said following the game. “Luckily the offense came around and bailed me out,” he added.
With the victory, the Panthers improve to 7-6-1 while the Pioneers drop to 9-8.
