Baseball Falls, 8-2, at Fairleigh Dickinson

(boxscore)

4/25/05 -- Long Island was detitle an 8-2 Northeast Conference loss at Fairleigh Dickinson in the rubber game of their three-game series in Teaneck, N.J.

The Blackbirds (9-17, 5-10 NEC) scored in the top of the second inning to forge a 1-1 tie. Senior Christopher Brescia (Nanuet, N.Y.) laced a one-out single and took second on a single from junior Matt Martino (Staten Island, N.Y.). Brescia took third on a fielder’s choice by junior Nathan Olson (Poland, Maine) and scored on a throwing error by third baseman Jovan Santos.

LIU grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Senior Thomas Bennett (Brooklyn, N.Y.) singled, took second on a sacrifice from sophomore Marcus Wynn (Plainfield, N.J.), reached third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by freshman Bryan Burke (Lindenhurst, N.Y.).

But the Knights (8-19, 6-11) took the lead for good with a five-run fifth for a 6-2 cushion. Ariel Martin belted a lead-off homer and Santos capped it with a two-run single.

Junior Trey Bell (Georgetown, Del.) rapped three hits with Burke, Martino and sophomore Robert Rowen (Rosendale, N.Y.) adding two apiece for LIU. Staten Island, N.Y. sophomore Michael Maynard (2-4) struck out seven -- giving him 15 over his last two starts -- and yielded six runs and 10 hits over 4 2/3 innings.

Stephen Eng (4-2) allowed two runs -- one earned -- and 11 hits over nine innings with seven strikeouts for the Knights.

LIU closes its five-game road trip Tuesday with a meeting against Saint Joseph’s in Norristown, Pa, beginning at 3:30 pm.