STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.— The LIU Brooklyn baseball team fell to Wagner College, 6-4 in the series finale at Richmond County Bank Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
The Blackbirds were outhit 8-6 by the Seahawks in the finale. Senior
Gregory Vaughn Jr. and junior
Tim Bechtold led LIU with a pair of hits apiece. The two through five spots in the lineup all scored a run for the Blackbirds. Four different batters drove in a run for LIU.
Wagner broke the game open in the bottom half of the second inning using six hits coupled with a pair of LIU errors for a 6-0 lead.
The Blackbirds offense finally got going in the top of the fourth inning as senior
Gregory Vaughn Jr. led off the frame with a single. A walk to senior
Alex Briggs gave LIU a pair of runners on with no outs. A wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position. Hallum lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Vaughn and advance Briggs to third. Senior
Andrew Smith picked up the second run of the inning to bring the score to 6-2.
LIU struck again in the top of the sixth inning, loading up the bases with one out. Sophomore
Colin Adams lifted a deep fly ball to right field to cut the deficit to three. Wagner was able to escape the inning on a strikeout to end the threat.
Junior
Jackson Svete settled down after the second inning on the bump for LIU, surrendering just one base runner before exiting the game after the sixth inning.
Looking for a late rally the Blackbirds earned a two-out walk from junior
Rob Griswold he advanced to second on the defensive indifference. Vaughn lined a single to left field to cut the deficit to two. Wagner escaped the game with a pop up to short to earn the 6-4 win.
Svete suffered the loss for the Blackbirds, surrendering six runs but just one earned run on the day. Senior
Mike Kreiger pitched the final two innings of relief, scattering two hits while striking out four batters.
UP NEXT
The Blackbirds continue the two-week road swing with twilight matchup against Manhattan on Tuesday, April 16. First pitch is slated for 5:00 p.m. at Dutchess County Stadium.