TEANECK, N.J.— The LIU Brooklyn baseball team fell to Fairleigh Dickinson, 17-2 on Friday afternoon. The Blackbirds were outhit 21-6 by the Knights in the middle game of the three game weekend series at Naimoli Family Baseball Complex.

LIU opened the game with a double from senior Joe Mercadante to start off the game. He would come around to score two batters later as senior Brock Hallum recorded a sacrifice fly to  center field for the 1-0 lead.

FDU tied the game up in the bottom half of the inning on a two-out single to left field. The Knights would tack on runs in the next two innings to jump to a 4-1 favor in the third inning.

The home team added a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to jump ahead by five. FDU used a 10-run seventh inning to break the game open as three of the team's five home runs in the game were recorded in the inning. The Knights added its final home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Senior Edward Modica Jr. recorded a two-out solo home run to right field in the ninth inning for LIU to close the game's scoring. Modica and junior Tim Bechtold each recorded a pair of hits for the Blackbirds.

Freshman Nick Torres was charged with the loss for LIU, surrendering four earned runs on eight hits in the start for LIU. Seniors Zach Pederson and Anthony Rupp pitched the final five innings of relief for the Blackbirds, surrendering four earned runs while striking out seven. 

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The Blackbirds conclude the series against the Knights tomorrow with a 1:00 p.m. start from the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex.