BEAUMONT, Texas— The LIU Brooklyn baseball team was swept in a doubleheader against Lamar University, falling 2-1 in game one and 8-4 in game two to close out the opening weekend of the 2019 season.

Game 1: Lamar 2, LIU 1

The opening contest of the twinbill featured a pitchers duel to start as junior Jackson Svete for the Blackbirds surrendered just one hit over the first four frames and Austin Smith of the Cardinals was there to match with just two hits surrendered in the opening four innings.

LIU looked to threaten first in the top of the fifth inning as senior Anthony Warneke led off with a bunt single and advanced to second on a stolen base with one out. Smith was able to escape the inning with a foul out and fielders choice to as the Blackbirds stranded a pair of runners after senior Joe Mercadante earned a walk.

The Cardinals used a leadoff home run from JC Correa to take the 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the fifth inning.

The Blackbirds answered in the next inning as senior Alex Smith led off with a single and swiped second. Junior Tim Bechtold worked a walk to give the Blackbirds a pair of runners on base with no outs. Smith was able to get a pop-out before senior Gregory Vaughn Jr. walked to load the bases. Warneke laced a grounder to hole at second base to allow Smith to score to knot the game up at 1-1. Lamar made the call to the bullpen, registering a strikeout to end the frame.

Both teams remained quiet in the next inning couple of innings before Lamar worked two runners on with two outs in the bottom of the eighth against junior Rob Griswold. Cole Coker registered the deciding run on a single to right centerfield to bring the score to 2-1.

The home team outhit LIU 6-4 in the opening contest. Svete tallied a pair of strikeouts in the no-decision pitching six solid innings.

Game 2: Lamar 8, LIU 4

Lamar carried over momentum into the start of game two, striking four runs on four hits in the bottom of the first inning against junior Patrick Clyne. The Cardinals would grab one run in the second and two in the third inning to take a 7-0 lead.

LIU got going in the top of the fifth inning as senior Brock Hallum led off with a single to right field. After a fly out, the Blackbirds loaded the bases as Griswold singled and Bechtold reached on an error to load the bases. Smith put LIU on the board with a two-run single through the right side. Lamar caught a break, escaping the inning on a double play, but not before Bechtold scored from third to bring the score to 7-3.

The Blackbirds would get another run in the top of the sixth inning as Hallum recorded a two-out RBI double to score sophomore Colin Adams from first to make it a 7-4 ballgame.

Lamar pushed the cushion back to four in the bottom half of the seventh inning on a two-out RBI single from Correa. LIU showed life in the ninth inning picking as Mercadante walked and Griswold singled to put runners in scoring position but the Cardinals got a game ending strikeout to earn the sweep.

Griswold, Hallum and Smith all recorded multiple hits in game two for the Blackbirds. Smith produced a pair of RBIs and swiped is second stolen base on the day for LIU.

Clyne suffered the loss for the Blackbirds, pitching the first two innings. Freshman Alec Huertas pitched three innings of relief in his collegiate debut, yielding zero earned runs to go with a pair of strikeouts. Senior Mike Kreiger pitched the final three innings for LIU, surrendering just one run while striking out two.

UP NEXT

The Blackbirds travel to Florida Gulf Coast for a weekend series beginning Friday, February 22 at 6:00 p.m.