MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The LIU Post baseball team pushed one of the top teams in the nation to the limit Thursday night in its opening game of the Northeast Challenge as the Pioneers fell 2-0 to No. 9 Southern New Hampshire University at the Ripken Experience Complex.
 
Senior James Varela, who was named East Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday, Feb. 18, struck out 10 batters in seven innings. Seniors Michael Manzione and Michael Greene both had hits, while senior Reynaldo Guillen recorded his first hit as a Pioneer and freshman Giovanni Ciaccio had the first hit of his college career.
 
Guillen and Greene both singled in the top of the second and Varela followed by striking out two Penmen in the bottom of the second. Varela would strike out another two batters in the bottom of the third and Vaglica led off the top of the fourth with a single but neither team could get on the scoreboard.
 
Varela fanned another two batters in the bottom of the fifth but the Penmen would go on to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth.
 
While Manzione singled in the top of the seventh, Southern New Hampshire held on to take a 2-0 win.
 
Up Next
LIU Post takes on Felician College (0-4) at 4:00 p.m. and Stonehill College at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.