PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa.— The LIU Brooklyn baseball team opened up its weekend with a 11-3 win over Villanova on Friday afternoon. The Blackbirds registered a season-high 17 hits over the Wildcats at Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth.

In a total team effort all nine batters in the LIU lineup recorded a hit on the day. Four Blackbirds registered multi-hit games, led by a career-high four hits from senior Joe Mercadante. Senior Andrew Smith and junior Rob Griswold contributed three hits each and senior Alex Briggs added a pair of hits. Junior Tim Bechtold recorded a career-high three runs batted in and Briggs along with Griswold added a pair of runs batted in for LIU.

The Blackbirds opened up the game with a four run first inning. Briggs got LIU on the board with a RBI single to left center with the bases loaded for the first run. Bechtold then earned a RBI walk after a seven pitch at bat. The Wildcats picked up a double play at the plate as they tried to halt the Blackbirds inning. Griswold earned a two-out single to right center for LIU's third run of the inning. The final run came on a first & third steal attempt as Bechtold crossed the plate before the out at second to make it a 4-0 lead.

LIU grabbed another run in the top of the fifth inning as senior Luiny Monegro recorded a two-out single through the right side. Things continued to click in the next inning as Briggs and Hallum picked up RBI doubles to bring the score to 7-0.
Senior Zach Pederson held the Wildcats to just four hits over the first four innings in the start. Villanova scratched two runs in the fifth inning on a pair of two out singles to make it a 7-2 ballgame.

The Blackbirds added one final big inning in the top half of the eight as Mercadante and Smith opened the frame with back-to-back singles. Senior Gregory Vaughn Jr. brought home one run on a double to left field. After a strikeout, Bechtold plated a two-run single to left center field to get LIU to 10 runs. Griswold capped the inning with the team's final run on a RBI single through the left side.

Villanova worked four straight one-one out walks for their final run of the game, freshman Chris Buehler came on to close it out with a strikeout and pop up to end the game.

UP NEXT

The Blackbirds continue the weekend series with Villanova on Saturday, March 23 with a 2:00 p.m. first pitch.