BEAUMONT, Texas— The LIU Brooklyn baseball team fell to Lamar University, 6-2 in the 2019 season opener on Friday night.
The Blackbirds featured balance hitting on opening night as seven batters in the starting lineup contributed a hit . Junior Tim Bechtold registered a home run to go along with a pair of walks in his first game in a LIU uniform. Senior Andrew Smith recorded one hit and one RBI from the leadoff spot.
Lamar was able to put runners on second and third with no outs in the bottom of the second on a pair of LIU errors. The next batter, Cole Secrest capitalized for the Cardinals with a three-run home run off senior Zach Pederson for the early lead.
The Blackbirds got on the board in the top of the fourth inning as Bechtold ripped a one-out solo shot to left centerfield.
Lamar quickly regained momentum in the bottom of the fourth inning, exploiting on the long ball once again on a three-run home run by Anthony Quirion to left center for a 6-1 lead.
LIU added its final run in the top of the seventh inning as Smith lined a two-out single through the left side. The Blackbirds continued to threaten as Bechtold walked to load the bases but Lamar induced a fly out in the next at-bat to escape the inning.
Pederson earned his second straight opening day start, surrendering four earned runs in four innings of work. Freshman Nick Torres recorded three innings of scoreless relief while striking out two in his collegiate debut. Senior Anthony Rupp closed out the day for the LIU bullpen with a hitless eighth inning.
Both teams recorded seven hits on the evening. LIU stranded seven runners on base to the Lamar five. First game jitters hit the Blackbirds with four errors committed defensively in the season opener.
UP NEXT
With impending weather expected to wash out the series finale on Sunday, the series will now conclude tomorrow with a doubleheader. The two nine-inning contests will start at 2:00 p.m. with game two starting 45 minutes after the conclusion of game one.