BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Apr. 22, 2017) – The Molloy baseball team fell to the Pioneers of LIU Post following an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning. With the loss, the Lions fall to 15-20 on the year and 9-7 in East Coast Conference play. The Pioneers stand at 19-15 (10-6 ECC).

The Pioneers got on the board first, as a single from Joe Spitaleri (Levittown, N.Y.) scored Jimmy Mendyk (Massapequa, N.Y.) in the bottom of the second inning.

Senior Brian Murphy (Elmont, N.Y.) led off the top half of the fourth inning with a single to right center field. The short stop advanced to third following ground outs from senior Anthony Alberghina (Staten Island, N.Y.) and junior Angelo Navetta (Staten Island, N.Y.). A wild pitch from Jake DeCarli (Higganum, Conn.) scored Murphy and knotted the contest at 1-1.

The teams remained deadlocked through the next three innings, until freshman James Messina (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) drilled a single to right field to score junior Jack McCarty (Huntington, N.Y.) in the top of the eighth inning.

The Lions carried the one-run lead to the bottom of the ninth inning. Mendyk led off the inning for the Pioneers with a single, advancing to second on a ground out from Michael Greene (Stewart Manor, N.Y.). A walk to Sal Geraci (Bayport, N.Y.) and bunt single from Spitaleri loaded the bases for Thomas Asbaty (Randolph, N.J.). The senior drew a walk to tie the game. In the next at bat, Kenny Daley (Glenwood Landing, N.Y.) singled to right field to drive in the game-winning run, giving LIU Post the 3-2 victory.

Senior Ronald Bauer (Hicksville, N.Y.) struck out four batters, allowing three runs on six hits through 8.1 innings in the loss. At the plate, Murphy, Navetta, redshirt senior Michael Rahn (Sayville, N.Y.) and Messina all registered hits for the Lions, with Messina picking up the lone RBI.

Molloy steps out of conference play on Monday (Apr. 24) as they host Felician University at 4:00 p.m.