Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

TEANECK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team was unable to contain LIU Brooklyn's offense on Friday and suffered a doubleheader sweep at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex. The Blackbirds (19-24, 9-11 NEC) won game one 12-8 and claimed game two 12-6 as they leapfrogged the Knights (12-28, 8-12 NEC) in the Northeast Conference standings.
 
With the sweep, the Knights drop to sixth in the NEC standings with six games remaining, while the Blackbirds move into fifth place and sit a half-game back of Wagner (9-10) for the fourth spot. Sacred Heart (11-12) currently occupies the third seed and concludes their NEC season with four games at LIU Brooklyn next weekend.
 
The Knights outhit the Blackbirds 17-16 in game one led by Evan McDonald, Ryan Brennan and Mike Veit, who each tallied three hits in the loss. McDonald had a huge day as he finished the afternoon 6-for-8 with five RBI and three runs scored.
 
Senior catcher Harrison Preschel paced a big offensive performance by the Blackbirds by totaling six hits, four runs and three RBI.
 
Game One:
 
The Knights struck first in game one when McDonald plated Bobby Romano with a single to center. Despite permitting three hits in the inning, LIU Brooklyn starter Anthony Rupp escaped with just the lone run. Rupp (1-6) earned his first victory of the season by tossing 6.1 innings, scattering 11 hits, allowing three earned runs and striking out three.
 
In the second inning, the Blackbirds offense went to work as they netted four runs on three hits, highlighted by Luis Arias' two-run double.
 
Then in the third, the Blackbirds tacked on three more runs with five hits and extended their lead to 7-1.  The big inning chased FDU starter Evan Layne from the game as the team turned to reliever James Sharkey. Sharkey provided the Knights 3.1 innings of relief and conceded three runs.
 
Trailing 10-1 in the sixth, the Knights pulled a little closer thanks to a two-run blast by Jason Fatzinger, his fourth of the year, which made it a seven-run deficit.
 
A pair of runs for the Blackbirds extended their lead but the Knights refused to go quietly in the home ninth.
 
Ryan Brennan knocked in a run with a single, then McDonald followed with a two-run double, Jorge Iza hit a sacrifice fly and James Donlon singled home a run to pull the Knights within four, 12-8. But that was as close as the Knights would get as LIU Brooklyn reliever Matt Orstein closed the door and preserved the win.
 
Brennan finished the game 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, while Mike Veit was 3-for-4 with a run scored.
 
LIU Brooklyn's Anthony Capo led the charge with a 4-for-5 performance including three RBI and three runs scored.
 
Game Two:
 
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first, Iza tied the game for the Knights with a sacrifice fly, which scored Matt McCann.
 
Again, the Blackbirds responded with a huge second inning as they netted five runs on four hits, including a two-run single by right fielder Joe Mercadante.
 
FDU senior left-hander Danny Demetrops stranded the bases loaded with a groundout to third but the Knights still trailed 6-1 after one-and-a-half frames.
 
The score remained until the bottom of the third when McDonald smacked a ringing double to left field, which plated Romano. Another run crossed for the Knights in the fourth when Hunter Reeser hit an RBI double, which caromed off of the third-base bag and down the left field line.
 
The Blackbird bats went back to work in the fifth and pushed the lead to 8-3 with three runs on four hits.
 
A fifth-inning, two-run blast by Iza pulled the Knights back within striking distance at 9-5. Iza's home run was his fourth of the season as the freshman second baseman finished the game 1-for-2 with a walk.
 
Unfortunately for the Knights, the Blackbirds separated themselves with two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh, which extended the lead to 12-5.
 
McDonald capped the game's scoring with a double to left-center field, which knocked in Brennan. The sophomore catcher was the lone Knight to record a multi-hit game in game two as he finished a perfect 3-for-3.
 
LIU Brooklyn starter Patrick Clyne (4-1) went the distance to earn his second complete game of the season. Clyne's final line was seven innings, seven hits, six earned runs, three walks and one punch-out.
 
These two teams square off on Sunday with the final two games of the series. The doubleheader begins with a seven-inning game at 12:30 p.m. A nine-inning series finale will immediately follow. Prior to the game, the Knights will honor their four seniors with the annual senior day ceremony.