TEANECK, N.J. – In one of the most exciting games in program history, the Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team prevailed with an 11-10, walk-off victory over Mount St. Mary's at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex on Saturday afternoon.
 
Freshman shortstop Nate Brodsky was the star of the game as he finished 5-for-5 with five RBI, a grand slam and the game-winning hit. After the Knights (5-24-1, 4-7 NEC) surrendered a go-ahead grand slam in the top of the ninth inning, the team responded with three runs in the home half to walk off with the victory.
 
On the emotion of the walk-off win and his five-hit performance Brodsky said, "I'm feeling really good but it's not just me contributing. My teammates are all in it too and it just shows that we have a lot of heart, drive and passion. I loved it."
 
Resilience was the story of the day as 17 of the 21 runs scored in the contest were plated with two outs. In a game which saw the Knights lead by as many as five runs, the two teams combined for 29 hits and five home runs. Three of the five homers were grand slams.
 
After hitting five home runs on Friday night, the Knights sent three over the fence in Saturday's contest as they captured their first NEC series of the season.
 
The conference's leading hitter, Myles Nicholson, paced the Mountaineers (11-22, 5-6 NEC) with five RBI and a grand slam as part of a 3-for-5 effort.
 
With two outs in the home first, freshman Tom Ruscitti drove the seventh pitch of his at bat over the center field fence for the Knights' first run. After Ruscitti's classmate Salvatore Monticciolo singled, senior Evan McDonald stepped in and clobbered his third home run of the series – a towering shot which landed well-beyond the center-field fence and gave the Burgundy and Blue a 3-0 lead. McDonald's blast was his fifth of the year, while Ruscitti has six long balls to his credit.
 
Leading 3-2 in the fourth, Brodsky stepped into the box with the bases loaded and promptly unloaded them with a two-out grand slam over the center-field fence.
 
The Mount would cut into the Knights' five-run lead with a grand slam of their own in the sixth inning. Second baseman Alex Kriss delivered for the Mountaineers as he slugged the homer out to left-center field and made it a 7-6 game.
 
Kriss' blast marked the end of FDU starter Aaron Cohn's afternoon. Cohn had pitched his way in and out of jams throughout the day but Kriss finally delivered the key blow for his team. Cohn's final line was 5.1 innings, 11 hits, six earned runs, two walks and three strikeouts.
 
Freshman Emmanuel Corporan came on in relief of Cohn and retired the first three Mountaineers he faced. The Knights got a run back in the home half of the inning after Bobby Romano and Adam Frank singled to start the inning, Nate Rush knocked home Romano with a groundout. Corporan struck out the side in the seventh and finished with four punchouts across his two scoreless innings.
 
Leading 8-6 in the final frame, FDU closer Joey Kosowsky allowed the first three men to reach before registering a strikeout and a groundout. With two away, Kosowsky picked up two strikes on Nicholson but was unable to shut the door. Nicholson hooked a grand slam home run inside of the left-field foul pole and put his team on top 10-8.
 
Despite the game-changing blast, the Knights remained undeterred. Mount closer Dennis Snyder came on and retired the first two men he faced. With their backs against the wall, the Knights refused to go down.
 
McDonald drew a walk, Romano reached on an error and Frank drew a nine-pitch walk, which loaded the bases. The first run scored on a balk and after pinch-hitter Brett Mercier was intentionally walked, the Knights pinch hit Ryan Glowacki, who legged out an infield single.
 
Now tied at 10, Brodsky delivered the heroics for the Burgundy and Blue by stroking a 1-0 pitch up the middle of the diamond for the game-winning knock.
 
Sophomore Austin Crebs, who relieved Kosowsky in the ninth, retired one batter to earn in his first win of the season.
 
The Knights set out for the series sweep on Sunday with first pitch in Teaneck set for 1:00 p.m.
 
Coach McKay's Postgame Comments
"Today was an incredible all-around team effort. This team refused to lose. In order to win this game, Nate had to deliver his fifth hit of the day and he showed that he is already one of the best players in this conference as a freshman."
 
"Aaron pitched very well for us and just made one mistake to a very good Mount St. Mary's hitter. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap but Aaron gave us a big time start when we needed it most. Also, Emmanuel was huge out of the bullpen and provided us two shutdown innings."
 
"Offensively, we did not do a great job of capitalizing on all of our opportunities. We will need to do better job on base running tomorrow."
 
 "It was a good result for the Knights today and we look forward to getting back out there tomorrow with our fans behind us."