Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team allowed LIU Brooklyn to rally for two runs in the bottom of the seventh of game one for a 4-3 victory, before the Blackbirds blanked the Knights, 10-0, in the nightcap at LIU Field on Saturday in the seven-inning Northeast Conference doubleheader. With the victories, LIU improves to 22-20-1 (9-10 NEC) on the season, while the Knights fall to 13-25 (4-11 NEC) overall.

Neither side scored over the first five innings of game one, as FDU starter Joe Flack (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's Boys) and LIU starter Kevin Needham found themselves in a pitcher's duel, with Needham being perfect through the first four frames. But the Knights would break through first with three runs in the top of the sixth to take a 3-0 lead.

Sophomore Joel Roman (East Hartford, Conn./East Hartford) and junior Shane Siebler (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) sandwiched singles around freshman Matt McCann (West Windsor, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro )'s sacrifice bunt, and FDU had runners on the corners with one out. Sophomore Dylan Sprague (Brunswick, N.Y./Averill Park) followed with a RBI double to right field that scored Roman, and Siebler scored on a wild pitch. Junior Riley Moonan (Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero North) then capped the scoring with a RBI fielder's choice to plate Sprague.

The Blackbirds answered quickly in the bottom of the sixth with two runs and nobody out before bad base running stopped their momentum. LIU singled and doubled to start the inning, and Mark Hernandez singled down the right-field line to drive in both runners to trim the deficit to 3-2, but he was thrown out on the play after making too wide of a turn around first base.

After the Knights went down in order in the top of the seventh, junior closer Eric Snyder (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh) relieved Flack on the mound and allowed a walk and a single to the first two batters. LIU then tried to attempt a sacrifice bunt, but Snyder quickly fielded the bunt and fired to third to gun down the lead runner for the first out.

The Blackbirds next batter, Pete Leonello, then hit a first-pitch groundball to Sprague at second base for a taylor-made game-ending 4-6-3 double play, but Sprague booted the ball and everyone was safe. Snyder then battled John McAllister and started out with three straight balls. After tossing two strikes to make the count full, Snyder yielded a shallow line drive to center field, just out of the reach of Moonan, and two runs came around to score on the game-winning single to give LIU the come-from-behind 4-3 victory.

Flack received a tough no-decision after twirling a solid 6.0 innings on the bump. The freshman allowed two earned runs on five hits, walked two and struck out one. Snyder (0-2) took the loss in his one-third of an inning of work.

Needham went the distance for the Blackbirds and limited FDU to three earned runs on five hits while walking one and striking out three. McAllister and John Ziznewski each had two hits and a run to lead LIU's offense, with McAllister driving home two runs.

In game two, each side had a chance to score in the first inning but came up empty. After the Knights stranded Matt McCann (West Windsor, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro ) at second base after his two-out double in the top of the second, the Blackbirds erupted for five runs in the bottom half to take a 5-0 lead. Ziznewski delivered the big blow with a two-out grand slam to the opposite field.

Three innings later, LIU scored five more times in the bottom of the fifth to take a commanding 10-0 lead before cruising to the victory and sweep.

Junior John Chalupa (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) (2-3) took the loss on the mound after lasting 4+ innings. He allowed six earned runs on seven hits, walked three and struck out three.

Southpaw Matt McCormick scattered six hits, walked one and struck out four in the complete-game shutout for the home team. McClure and McCann each had two hits to lead the Knights' offense.

Ziznewski, Kyle DeMarco and Harrison Preschel each had two hits, with Ziznewski collecting five RBI. Preschel, Leonello and Charles Misiano all scored two runs, while Leonello and Misiano added two RBI.

The Knights will look to split the series on Sunday when the two sides conclude their four-game set at 1 p.m.