DANBURY, Conn - The Yeshiva University baseball team concluded its season with a pair of losses to Western Connecticut State, by scores of 8-7 and 12-2, at Westside Field on Thursday afternoon.

History was once again made for the baseball team, as senior left fielder Aryeh Salovey and junior center fielder David Hanelin each finished the season with 32 hits, which is a tie for the program's all-time single-season record. Salovey finishes the year with an 11-game hitting streak.

In the opening game, the Colonials scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the second, highlighted by an RBI single off the bat of junior left fielder Greg Campbell, to take a 2-0 lead. 

The Maccabees answered with five runs in the top of the fourth, to take a three-run advantage. It all started with runners on the corners and one out. Sophomore catcher SJ Tannenbaum slapped a double down the left field line to score two runs and tie the game, 2-2. Senior second baseman Shmuel Silverstein was the next man up and drove in two more runs on a single to propel YU to a 4-2 lead. He eventually scored on an error to extend the Macs' hold to 5-2.

In the bottom frame, a pair of walks with the bases loaded highlighted a three-run inning for the home team, tying the game at five runs apiece. Western Connecticut State scored three more runs in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to an RBI double by sophomore center fielder Andrew Luis, an RBI single off the bat of senior right fielder Kyle MacLean, and an RBI double by junior catcher Erik Merrill, to put Yeshiva in an 8-5 hole.

The Maccabees would not go down without a fight in the top of the seventh. After junior shortstop Zachary Baly led off the frame with a walk, he advanced to third thanks to a double by Hanelin. Salovey was up next and lined the ball to deep center field. The ball was caught by Luis but it was deep enough to score Baly for Yeshiva's sixth run. Freshman first baseman David Kreisberg continued Yeshiva's momentum by slapping an RBI single to center field to pull the Maccabees to within one. Junior third baseman Alex Malech came up as the potential go-ahead run, but ended the game by grounding into a 5-4-3 double play, allowing the Colonials to hang on and win game one.

Yeshiva outhit Western Connecticut State, 9-5, in the opening game. Salovey went 2-for-3 with a triple, a run scored, and a stolen base. Malech singled and scored a run, while junior pitcher Sonny Braha lined a double. Sophomore right fielder Yosef Rosenfield produced a base hit.

On the mound, Braha pitched a complete-game, giving up just five hits and striking out just as many, but took the loss. Senior pitcher George Bielizna started the game and stuck out six batters in 5.2 innings to earn the win. Fourth-year reliever Michael Esposito earned his first save of the year.

In game two, Western Connecticut State scored five runs in the the second and never looked back. Senior pitcher Matt Fasoli earned the win on the mound by pitching six innings, giving up just one earned run on three hits, and fanning 10 YU batters.

For Yeshiva, Kreisberg produced an RBI single in the fourth, while Hanelin drove in Silverstein for Yeshiva's second run, in the top of the seventh. Salovey's double in the fourth tied him with Hanelin for first-place on YU's all-time single-season hits list. Silverstein, junior third baseman Mordy Kirsch, and Rosenfield each singled. On the mound, Malech started the game and took the loss. Hanelin, Malech, sophomore pitcher Rafi Jacobs, and freshman right fielder Daniel Fischoff each drew a walk. 

The Yeshiva University baseball team will return to the field in March of 2019.