Uniondale, N.Y. - On Sunday, the No. 2 seed LIU Post baseball team ended a seven-year title drought with a 9-7 win over fourth-seeded Molloy College in the 2017 East Coast Conference Championship at the Mitchel Field Athletic Complex.
It is the Pioneers' first ECC title since the 2010 season. Additionally, the green and gold earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Championship.
Tied 6-6 in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore catcher Anthony Vaglica (Franklin Square, N.Y.) put LIU Post (30-18) in front with a lead-off solo homer to left-center.
The Pioneers then strung together three consecutive hits, before sophomore third baseman Jimmy Mendyk (Massapequa, N.Y.) ripped a two-RBI single through the left side to increase the green and gold's lead to 9-6.
The Lions (21-29) managed to get a run back in the eighth, but senior pitcher Dan Jagiello (West Islip, N.Y.) came on to get the four-out save. He caught freshman designated hitter Sean Hogan (East Meadow, N.Y.) looking on a 2-2 pitch to seal the victory.
Earlier in the contest, LIU Post jumped out to a 6-2 lead, after a two-out, three-run homer to left by senior outfielder Kenny Daley (Glenwood Landing, N.Y.) in the fourth inning.
Sophomore pitcher James Varela (Levittown, N.Y.) earned the win in the decision. He tossed seven innings of seven-hit, six-run (five earned), two-walk, four-strikeout ball.
Meanwhile, freshman pitcher Noah Lorenzo (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) was named the Most Outstanding Player of the ECC Championship. Lorenzo was masterful on Friday (May 12) in a 1-0 win over No. 21 St. Thomas Aquinas College. He threw eight scoreless innings in the victory and fanned eight in the process.
Provided by the LIU Post Sports Information Department.
