WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y.— The LIU Brooklyn baseball team held off a late charge from Manhattan College, earning a 6-4 victory on Tuesday afternoon at Dutchess County Stadium.

Seven batters in the starting lineup for LIU contributed a hit against the Jaspers. Seniors Alex Briggs and Andrew Smith along with junior Tim Bechtold recorded a run batted in. Senior Brock Hallum and Briggs registered two runs scored apiece for the Blackbirds.

LIU broke open the game in the top of the second inning as senior Briggs reached on a throwing error followed by a single from Hallum for a pair of runners on base. Smith stepped to the plate and delivered his sixth double of the season down the left field line to score Briggs and give LIU the lead. Hallum scored in the next at bat as a wild pitch went trickled past the Jaspers at the plate for the 2-0 favor.

Manhattan got one run back in the bottom of the third inning scoring on an errant throw by LIU on the steal at third base to bring the score to 2-1.

The Blackbirds got a pair of runners on in the top of the fourth inning as seniors Luiny Monegro and Joe Mercadante were hit by a pitch. Both runners advanced on a balk to get into scoring position with one out. A pitch in the dirt went all the way to the backstop allowing Monegro to score from third and Mercadante tried to stretch it into two runs but was nabbed at the plate to stay at a 3-1 lead.

LIU continued to jump ahead with a three-run fifth inning on just three hits. Junior Rob Griswold led off the inning with a double to left center field and then advanced to third on a stolen base. He later scored on a RBI single from Briggs with one out to push the lead up to three. Briggs made his way around the bases on a balk and wild pitch before scoring on a past ball as Hallum earned a full count walk. The inning continued as Bechtold lined a RBI single through the left side to jump ahead 6-1.

Manhattan cut the lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning on a two-run single with two outs. The Jaspers two out hitting continued in the seventh with a RBI single to cut the deficit to two. Looking for a late rally in the bottom half of the ninth, Manhattan got the tying run on base with one out before loading up the bases with two outs. Griswold closed out the game with a big strikeout on a 2-2 offering to preserve the 6-4 victory.

Freshman Chris Buehler earned his second win of the season pitching a career-high five innings against the Jaspers. The lefty allowed just one run on six hits and struck out three on the day. Senior Anthony Rupp pitched two innings of relief, surrendering just one run on four hits. Griswold notched his first save of the season pitching the final inning and a third with three strikeouts.

UP NEXT

The Blackbirds open the three-game series at Fairleigh Dickinson on Thursday, April 18 at 3:00 p.m.