TEANECK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team dropped a see-saw battle to LIU, falling 6-5 at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex on Wednesday afternoon.
The Knights trailed 3-0 and led 5-3 before the Sharks moved in front for good with a three-run seventh inning.
Graduate first baseman
James Donlon paced the Knights (1-4) with a 2-for-4 effort including a three-run home run, which put the Knights on top after three frames.
Coach DiToma Postgame (Video)
How it Happened
- Giovanni Ciaccio led off the game with a double for the Sharks, who scored two runs in the frame with an infield single and an RBI groundout.
- The Sharks tacked on a third run in the second inning with a run-scoring groundout.
- In the home second, the Knights got on the board when freshman Hunter D'Amato knocked in classmate TJ Werner and sophomore Jake Ellowitz with a two-out single to right field.
- A leadoff walk by Mike Veit and a hit by pitch set the table for Donlon in the third. The grad student clobbered a 2-1 pitch over the right field fence and put the Knights on top 5-3.
- In the fourth inning, freshman Michael DiMartino came on in relief of starter Austin Crebs and after walking a pair of Sharks, settled down and struck out back to back batters to escape the jam.
- The Knights threatened in the fifth after Donlon beat out a bunt single and Brad Levinson walked but Nick Torres came in for the Sharks and recorded the final out for the Sharks.
- In the top of the seventh, a one-out double set the stage for the Sharks, who netted a run with a single on the next at bat before Knights relief Bryce Timko struck out the next batter.
- Ethan Rembish came on for Timko with one aboard and the next batter, Ciaccio drove a two-run home run down the right field line to give the Sharks the 6-5 edge.
- The Sharks bullpen held down the Knights over the final three innings as Josh Gainer nailed down the save in the ninth for the visitors.
Inside the Box Score
- D'Amato extended his hitting streak to three games in the loss and knocked in his first two career runs.
- Donlon's blast was the Knights' first of the season and fourth of his career.
- Crebs started for the Burgundy and Blue and struck out four Sharks across his three innings on the mound, while allowing three runs, two earned.
- Senior right-hander Chris Quijano pitched 2.1 innings allowing one earned on one hit and striking out a pair.
- Ciaccio was the lone Shark to record a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4 in the contest.
Next Up
The Knights host Wagner for their first NEC series of the season, beginning this Friday, March 19 at 3:00 p.m.