SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The LIU Brooklyn baseball team rallied from an 8-5 defeat in the first game of the day Saturday, to beat Bryant, 8-4, in the second game to split with the Bulldogs on day two of the three-day series. The two teams conclude the series Sunday, April 16 at 1 p.m.

Bryant 8, LIU 5
Bryant's starter Steve Theetge shut down the Blackbirds in the early innings, notching eight strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work. Bryant got on the board first, scoring a run in the bottom of the third inning on a double and two singles, but a ground out ended the inning, limiting the damage to 1-0. The Bulldogs would put four more runs on the board in the bottom of the fifth to widen the lead to 5-0.

LIU would get on the board in the top of the sixth inning, when one out singles by Charles Misiano and Dom Paiotti got the Blackbird offense going. Both Joe Mercadante and Edward Modica Jr. were walked to bring one run home, and junior Andrew Turner had a sacrifice fly to score the second, making it 5-2.

Bryant would add three more runs on four hits in the sixth inning, going up, 8-2, but the Blackbirds would rally in the top of the seventh to threaten the home team.

Freshman Joe Curcio walked to lead off, and senior Anthony Capo had a single to center field to put two Blackbirds on the based. Two outs later, Paiotti's single up the middle would score one run, and a passed ball put runners on second and third for LIU. Mercadante would single through the left side to bring in two more runs, and the Blackbirds had closed the gap to 8-5. But Bryant was able to get the final out of the inning, ending the rally and the game with the win.

LIU 8, Bryant 4
The Blackbirds' win in the second game of the day snapped a six game winning streak for the Bulldogs. Freshman Jackson Svete (4-1) had the win on the mound for LIU, pitching 5.0 innings and giving up just three hits.

LIU got on the board early, sparked by a lead-off double from Charles Misiano. A wild pitch would advance him to third, and a passed ball allowed the speedy senior to cross home plate and put the Blackbirds up early, 1-0. After a single and two walks loaded the bases, senior Anthony Capo had an RBI single through the right side, and senior Harrison Preschel had a sacrifice fly to score one more run, as LIU led, 3-0.

Bryant answered in the bottom of the frame by scoring three runs on three hits and an error, and the two teams were knotted up, 3-3.

LIU would add three more runs in the top of the third. Turner's RBI single scored the first run, and Preschel had another sacrifice fly to make it 5-3. A fielding error would score Capo on the next at bat, and the Blackbirds came out of the frame with a 6-3 advantage.

After a rough first inning, Svete settled down on the mound, and would hold Bryant hitless for the next four innings.

Preschel would add one more run for the Blackbirds in the top of the fifth on an RBI double to left center field, and Paiotti would have an RBI double in the top of the sixth to widen the lead to 8-3.

Bryant would score one more run in the bottom of the seventh inning, but LIU's defense was able to end the rally and get the final out, clinching an 8-4 win over the Bulldogs.

Up next, the Blackbirds (11-16, 3-7 NEC) wrap up the four game series with the Bulldogs (13-19, 7-2), Sunday, April 16 at 12 p.m.