STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn baseball team had two big Northeast Conference wins Saturday afternoon, sweeping the Seahawks in a double header at RCB Ballpark. The Blackbirds won the first game, 5-1, before beating Wagner in extra innings, 8-7.

Freshman Patrick Clyne (3-0) had the complete game win in the opener, pitching 9.0 innings, while holding Wagner to just three hits and one unearned run, while striking out four. Junior Baylor LaPointe (3-4) had the win on the mound in the second game, pitching 4.2 shutout innings, striking out four. And sophomore Mike Kreiger had his seventh save of the season, holding Wagner scoreless in the final 1.0 inning of play. The seventh save moves Krieger into second all-time on the single season list, behind program record holder Evan Zerff (13).  

LIU 5, Wagner 1
The first game of the day was a defensive battle, as both pitchers got strong support from their infields to keep the game scoreless. LIU had a chance to score in the top of the first inning when three walks loaded the bases, but the Seahawks were able to get the final out and avoid a run scored.

Wagner would score one unearned run in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI double, and would hold on to the 1-0 lead for three more innings.

LIU was able to get the offense going in the top of the seventh inning. Andrew Turner led off with a single to center field, and he was advanced by senior Charles Misiano's sacrifice bunt. The speedy sophomore came home on the next at bat, scoring from second on an RBI single by junior Dom Paiotti. The Blackbirds were able to get another runner on base, and had two runners in scoring position when Joe Curcio came to the plate with two outs. The freshman had a single to right center field that would score both runners, putting LIU up, 3-1.

The Blackbirds added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning. Paiotti and sophomore Joe Mercadante had back-to-back singles to lead off, and a Wagner error helped moved Paiotti to third. Sophomore Luis Arias de los Santos had a sacrifice fly to score a run, and Mercandate would steal second and advance to third on a wild pitch. He came home on another sac fly from Curcio, and LIU led, 5-1.

Freshman Patrick Clyne remained lights out in the bottom of the ninth, getting three straight batters to ground out, earning his first complete game win of the season.

LIU 8, Wagner 7 (9 innings)
The second game of the day, scheduled to go seven innings, was extended to nine when the two teams were tied. The Blackbirds pulled out the win, scoring a run in the top of the ninth, and preventing the late rally by the Seahawks.

Wagner would score first in the contest, when an RBI single scored a runner from second to put the home team on top, 1-0. The Blackbirds would answer in the top of the seventh. Senior Anthony Capo and freshman Jack Campsmith led off with back-to-back walks. A sacrifice bunt by Smith advanced both runners, and Misiano would bring home a run with a sacrifice fly to center field. Campsmith came home on the play as well, scoring on an error to make it 2-1 LIU.

Wagner would tie the game up in the bottom of the second on an RBI ground out, 2-2. The home team took the lead back in the bottom of the third, scoring three runs on three hits, to go up, 5-2. The lead wouldn't last for long; LIU scored four runs in the fourth to make up the difference and then some. An RBI single from Paiotti got the scoring started. Misiano would score on a balk, and an RBI single from Arias brought home a run to tie it up, 5-5. And Curcio lifted LIU on top again, with a two-run home run to right center field, making it 7-5.

Wagner would tie the game up in the bottom half of the inning. An RBI ground out scored the first run, and a wild pitch brought home the next, making it 7-7.

The scoring stopped there, however, and neither team would score for the next four innings. It wasn't until the extra innings that someone would come out on top.

Curcio led off for the Blackbirds with a single to third base, and he was advanced by senior Harrision Preschel's sacrifice bunt. Capo would bring the freshman home on the next at bat, when he hit a double to center field that helped make it 8-7.

In the bottom of the ninth, Wagner would threaten to rally and take the win, putting two runners in scoring position with one out, but reliever Mike Kreiger was able to get the final two batters to strikeout, ending the game for LIU, 8-7, and earning his seventh save of the season.

Junior Dom Paiotti and freshman Joe Curcio led LIU at the plate Saturday. Paiotti finished hitting 6-for-10 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Curcio had three hits, but finished with five RBI and two runs scored.

With the wins, LIU moves to 17-19 overall, and 7-10 in Northeast Conference action. Up next, the two teams conclude the series, Sunday, April 30 at 1 p.m., with a single nine-inning game.