TEANECK, N.J.— The LIU Brooklyn baseball team opened its weekend series with a 5-3 victory against Fairleigh Dickinson University on Thursday afternoon at Naimoli Family Baseball Complex. 

The Blackbirds had a balanced afternoon at the plate with seven batters in the starting lineup contributing to the team's 12 hits. Five batters registered multi-hit games as seniors Alex Briggs, Joe Mercadante, Edward Modica Jr. and Andrew Smith along with junior Rob Griswold all recorded two hits apiece. Griswold recorded his fourth multi-RBI game of the season, driving in a pair of runs and Mercadante led the way with two runs scored.

LIU worked its patience at the dish to open the game as Mercadante and Griswold worked full count walks before senior Brock Hallum lined a single to right to load up the bases in the first. Briggs lifted a sacrifice fly to center field for the early 1-0 advantage.

The Blackbirds used two-out hitting in the top half of the second inning as Mercadante lined a RBI single to extend the lead to two. With runners on second and third Griswold lined a two RBI single up the middle to bring the score to 4-0.

The scoring continued for LIU in the the top of the third as a RBI fielder's choice from junior Tim Bechtold pushed the lead to 5-0.

FDU used a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to get on the scoreboard. Freshman Alec Huertas retired the side after that and yielded just one hit while striking out four as the game headed into the seventh inning.

LIU looked to add to its lead in the top half of the seventh loading up the bases with two outs but FDU was able to escape trouble. The Knights added their second long ball of the day in the bottom of the seventh inning as  cut the deficit to two in the bottom of the seventh inning on a one-out home run to bring the score to 5-3.

The Blackbirds had one final chance in the top of the ninth inning, loading the bases to start the inning but FDU was able to escape trouble once again. Senior Mike Kreiger closed out the ninth to preserve the 5-3 ballgame.

Huertas earned his second win of the season, pitching the opening six and two third innings. He surrendered three runs on seven hits and recorded seven strikeouts to just one walk. Griswold pitched one third of an inning of relief before passing the ball off to Kreiger. The senior right hander pitched the final two frames for his sixth save of the season.

UP NEXT

The Blackbirds continue the weekend series against the Knights with a noon contest on Friday, April 19.