FLUSHING, N.Y. (Apr. 15, 2017) - The LIU Post baseball team continued its five-game season series against Queens College on Saturday with a split of a doubleheader at Hennekens Stadium in Flushing.

The Pioneers (16-14, 8-5 ECC) dropped a 4-3 extra-inning nailbiter in the opener, before salvaging the split with a 12-3 rout of the Knights (11-15, 5-9 ECC) in the nightcap.

Game #1: LIU Post 3, Queens 4 - F/12
In the opener, the Pioneers jumped out to a 2-0 edge in the top of the second. Sophomore first baseman Anthony Vaglica (Franklin Square, N.Y.) led off the inning with a homer to left, while senior catcher Thomas Asbaty (Randolph, N.J.) hit a one-out sacrifice fly to left.

Though Queens fought back in its half of the third to take the lead, LIU Post evened the score with a run in the top of the eighth. After back-to-back one-out singles, sophomore outfielder Dave Brehm (Bohemia, N.Y.) scored the game-tying run on an error by Knights' senior catcher Ryan Bender (Batavia, N.Y.).

The contest eventually headed into extras, but Queens prevailed in the 12th. A safety squeeze by sophomore second baseman Brian Watters (Brooklyn, N.Y.) clinched the walk-off victory for the Knights.

Senior pitcher Jake DeCarli (Higganum, Conn.) threw nine solid innings for the Pioneers in the no-decision, yielding six hits, three runs and one walk with four strikeouts.

Game #2: LIU Post 12, Queens 3
In the nightcap, the Pioneers took the early lead again, tallying three runs in the top of the first.

The green and gold capitalized on a pair of infield errors by the Knights in the frame, the latter of which plated a pair of runs to help stake the visitors to a quick 3-0 advantage.

Then, in the fifth, LIU Post put up a five-spot to increase its lead to a commanding 8-1 margin. Sophomore third baseman Jimmy Mendyk (Massapequa, N.Y.) had a two-RBI single in the outburst. Senior outfielder Kenny Daley (Glenwood Landing, N.Y.) and junior outfielder Rob Andreoli (North Wantagh, N.Y.) each added an RBI, via a sacrifice fly.

Andreoli and Vaglica both drove in another RBI in the top of the seventh, and freshman first baseman Zach Fritz (East Meadow, N.Y.) contributed a sacrifice fly to seal the win for the Pioneers.

On the mound, sophomore pitcher Brian Kavanagh (East Meadow, N.Y.) picked up his second-consecutive win for LIU Post, tossing 5.2 innings of five-hit, three-run, four-walk, one-strikeout ball.

Head Coach Mike Gaffney and the Pioneers are back in action Monday (Apr. 17), when they conclude their five-game set with Queens at 3:30 p.m. at the LIU Post Baseball Field in Brookville.