QUEENS, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn softball team fell to local rival St. John's Thursday afternoon on the road, as the Red Storm rallied to score four runs in the bottom of the sixth to come from behind and take the win, 9-5. With the loss, the Blackbirds move to 13-21 on the season.
 
The game was a back and forth one from the start. LIU would load the bases in the top of the first inning, but stranded all three runners. Then, the Red Storm would take the early lead, scoring two runs in the bottom of the inning. The first run of the game scored on a sacrifice fly, and an RBI single brought home the second run, putting the home team up, 2-0.
 
LIU answered in the bottom of the inning. After junior Evie Claussell reached on a fielder's choice and advanced on a walk, a single from sophomore Katie Hinkle brought her home, and the Blackbirds had cut the lead to one. LIU would tie the game up in the top of the third inning, when senior Nereyda Gutierrez homered to make it 2-2.
 
St. John's retook the lead in the bottom of the frame, scoring on a bases-loaded walk, before an RBI groundout increased the lead to 4-2. Gutierrez would strike again in the top of the fourth inning, bringing two Blackbirds home on her bases-loaded single through the right side, that would make it 4-4. Claussell gave LIU what looked like the go-ahead run in the top of the fifth inning, when she homered to put the Blackbirds on top, 5-4. But the Red Storm answered in kind, when Gretchen Bowie hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fifth to keep the teams locked up, 5-5.  
 
The bottom of the sixth inning was when the home team final went up for good. A single and two walks loaded the bases with two outs, before Bowie would strike again. The sophomore hit a grand slam, clearing the bases and putting her team on top, 9-5. Despite a hit in the top of the seventh, LIU wasn't able to get a runner in scoring position, and the Red Storm retired the side to clinch the non-conference win, 9-5.
 
Up next, the Blackbirds host Northeast Conference foes Robert Morris and Saint Francis U. this weekend for two doubleheaders. LIU opens taking on the Colonials, Saturday, April 14 at 1 p.m.