DiMasi Drives in Four as Baseball Takes Series Opener at FDU, 9-3

(Box Score)

5/11/07 – Led by a four-RBI performance by sophomore leftfielder Frank DiMasi (Staten Island, N.Y.) and a strong outing by senior Mike Maynard (Staten Island, N.Y.), the Long Island University baseball team snapped a five-game losing streak with a 9-3 win over Fairleigh Dickinson. DiMasi went 3-for-5 with a home run and two runs scored while Maynard picked up his third win of the season.

The Blackbirds (10-33, 4-16 Northeast Conference) kicked off the scoring with a three spot in the top of the second when DiMasi hit a solo homer with one out. The blast to straightaway center was his first of the season. Long Island added two runs when Gerard Tingos (Staten Island, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Dan Pirillo (Marlboro, N.Y.) brought home a run with an RBI groundout.

Fairleigh Dickinson (8-37, 3-17) got on the board in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly by Vincente-Alexander Medina. DiMasi gave the Blackbirds a 5-1 advantage in the fifth with a two-run double to right center.

The Knights answered right back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame. Jeff Vincent doubled home a run before Medina hit a sacrifice fly to drive in his third run of the game.

DiMasi struck again in the top of the ninth, knocking home a run with a single. He was followed by first baseman James Jones (Brooklyn, N.Y.), who hit a three-run homer, his fourth of the season, to put the game out of reach at 9-3.

Maynard (3-3) pitched seven innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on seven hits and two walks. He struck out four.

The teams will resume their four-game series on Saturday, May 12, with a doubleheader that begins at noon.