BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn baseball team kept it close with Sacred Heart for the majority of the Northeast Conference season opener at LIU Field Thursday afternoon, but the Pioneers rallied to score two late runs and clinch the victory, 5-2 over the Blackbirds. With the loss, LIU stands at 5-12 overall, 0-1 in NEC play, while Sacred Heart improves to 6-10, 1-0 in the conference.

LIU starter Baylor LaPointe would finish the game with seven strikeouts once he settled in, but the sophomore had a rocky start Thursday afternoon. Sacred Heart had a lead off walk and stolen base, and a sacrifice fly two batters later would score the first run of the day. LaPointe would rally to get a strikeout with two batters on to end the inning, escaping with SHU up, 1-0.

From there, both pitchers threw well, and neither team would score for the next five and a half innings. The Pioneers added one run in the top of the sixth inning on a successful squeeze play, and a sacrifice fly scored another, putting the visitors up, 3-0.

Senior Brian Lamboy got the Blackbirds back in the game in the bottom of the sixth frame, as he led off with a home run to left field, getting LIU on the board, 1-0. The Blackbirds added another run in the bottom of the eighth, again on Lamboy's lead. The senior led off with a walk, and advanced to second on a balk. He advanced again on a wild pitch, and came home on sophomore Dom Paiotti's RBI ground out, cutting the lead to 3-2.

The difference was made for LIU in the top of the ninth. Sacred Heart would score two runs on three hits and an error, widening their lead to 5-2 heading into the last half inning.

Junior Harrison Preschel gave LIU hope in the final frame, singling with one out to get on, but the Blackbirds wouldn't be able to bring him home, and fell to Sacred Heart in the series opener, 5-2.

James Cooksey had the win for SHU, as he pitched 7.0 innings, giving up just one run, while Jeff Stoddard earned his first save of the season in 2.0 innings of work. Baylor LaPointe had the loss for LIU in 5.1 innings, finishing the game with seven strikeouts and two earned runs.

Senior Brian Lamboy led LIU at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Sophomore Dom Paiotti and freshman Andy Camilo also had two hits apiece in the win, while Paiotti had LIU's other RBI.

The two teams resume the series Friday, March 25 with a double-header, slated to begin at 1 p.m.