LANTANA, FLA - Shortstop, Juan Reina (Paterson, N.J.) went 2-for-4 including, a run scored, two doubles and two RBI but the Bears allowed the Pioneers of LIU Post comeback in the bottom of the 9th inning to hand them a 8-7 loss Thursday morning at the Santaluces Sports Complex in Florida.

The defeat moved Bloomfield's record to 1-3 on the season while LIU Post improved to 6-7 as they won five straight to conclude their schedule in the Sunshine State.

Sophomore Isaac Pichardo (Passaic, N.J.) had a strong morning in the designated hitter spot, blasting two doubles in four at bats and drove in two RBI. On the mound, junior hurler Charles Castellano (Bayonne, N.J.) pitched a brilliant seven innings as he allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits and struck out six batters putting himself in line for his second win of the year. The Bullpen however gave up five runs on five hits and walked five batters in just under two innings of work.
 
 
LIU Post opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first after a single scored a runner who Castellano surrendered a leadoff double to and the Pioneers held a 1-0 edge. 
 
In the top of the 3rd Bloomfield answered back as a leadoff walk to Ben Thomas (Burlington, N.J.) allowed him to score when Anthony Lantigua (Belleville, N.J.) belted a double into left field. Lantigua later scored after a sac bunt moved him to third and a ground ball brought him home. Luke Loughery (Sussex, N.J.) reached base on an error by the third baseman and then promptly stole second allowing Reina's first double of the day down the left field line to put the Bears up 3-1.
 
The Pioneers got back a run in the bottom of the inning, making it a 3-2 ballgame but Bloomfield responded in the fourth when Christopher Cabral (Lodi, N.J.) came in to score after a Thomas double to center. In the fifth the Bears took a 5-2 lead after Loughery reached on another error and stole second. Reina's second double of the day plated Loughery and Bloomfield seemed to be firing on all cylinders.
 
LIU Post answered with a run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame, cutting the lead to 5-3, but in the seventh, the Bears tacked on a pair of runs with a two-run double from Pichardo, extending their advantage to 7-3. Castellano closed out the seventh with a 1-2-3 inning and turned over the pitching reigns to senior, Justin Eclavea (South San Francisco, Calif.).
 
The next inning, LIU Post plated a run with a double and then an infield single scored another run cutting the Bloomfield lead to 7-5.
Eclavea gave way to senior closer Kyle Murzn (Glassboro, N.J.) to seal the game and pick up the potential save.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, the Pioneers loaded the bases with no outs of Murzyn. The senior walked in a runner before a Pioneers' sac fly tied it. Murzyn then hit a batter to re-load the bases with two outs, just before LIU Post beat out an infield single that allowed the game-winning run to score.
 
 
Murzyn (0-1) was charged with the loss while Reina, Pichardo and Cabral each had had multi-hit games.
 
The Bears return to the diamond tomorrow to face the Lions of Molloy College at Lynn University in sunny Florida. The first pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 2:00 pm.
 
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