Box Score WATERBURY, Conn. – The Felician University baseball team, the No. 2 seed from the North Division, was eliminated from the 2022 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Championship tournament on Friday afternoon with a 6-1 loss to North No. 1 seed and tournament host Post University at Municipal Stadium.
The 23rd season in Felician baseball history concludes with a won-lost record of 26-22. Post (24-26) advances out of the losers' bracket to Saturday's championship round, where it would need to defeat Wilmington (Del.) University twice to claim the CACC crown.
Right-handed pitchers Joe Christiana (Carmel, N.Y./Carmel) of Post, a sophomore, and Felician senior Michael Gutierrez (Garfield, N.J./Garfield) helped keep the game scoreless through 5 ½ innings. Post broke through in the bottom of the sixth on a bunt single, a mishandled sacrifice, and a run-scoring single from Jimmy Brennan (Newton, N.J./Pope John XXIII).
The Golden Falcons answered during the top of the seventh. Levis Aguila (Miramar, Fla./Hialeah Gardens) walked, moved up two outs later on a groundout, and scored on a pinch-hit double by Colby Johnson (Frederick, Md./Oakdale). Eagle junior Jacob Tamburrino (Ansonia, Conn./Platt Tech) relieved to record the final out, and Post broke the game open in the home half of the seventh.
The Eagles opened the frame with three singles, the third by Rian Balbino (North Salem, N.Y./North Salem) on a sacrifice bunt attempt. A base hit by Michael Pavelchak (Nyack, N.Y./Nyack) scored the go-ahead run but Aguila, from his left field position, cut down a second runner at home plate. A wild pitch moved runners up to second and third before Hunter Keller's (Oxford, Conn./Oxford) ground ball was overthrown for an error, plating two runs. Following a walk, Robert Olah (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) capped the rally with a two-run double.
Tamburrino (5-2) worked around a single and a hit batsman in the eight and a leadoff hit in the ninth to retire the Golden Falcons. Christiana allowed two hits with seven strikeouts and four walks over 6 2/3 innings. Felician left seven runners on base.
Gutierrez (5-4) also worked 6 2/3 frames, with only one of his six runs charged as earned. He gave up eight hits and three walks and struck out seven batters. Gutierrez sees a prolific Felician career come to an end with a school-record 329 strikeouts. His 17 victories are tied for third place in program annals.
