SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The LIU baseball team traveled to Bryant on Friday to open Northeast Conference play before ultimately falling to the Bulldogs, 4-1. With the loss, the Sharks move to 12-9 on the season after winning six of its last seven contests. 
 
Joshua Loeschorn, the Sharks ace, earned the start on the mound and retired the first three batters he faced. He surrendered a single in the second, but the runner was thrown out at second while trying to stretch it into a double. In the third, Loeschorn mowed down the bottom of the order. The game was scoreless heading to the fourth inning.  
 
LIU got a runner on base in the fourth when Michael Edelman singled down the left field line, but he was left on base to end the frame. With the single, Edelman has now hit safely in 14 of his last 15 games.
 
The Bulldogs would strike first in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly and a two-RBI double, stretching their lead to 3-0. The Sharks got another single from Seth Surrett in the fifth but failed to advance past second. Bryant scored its fourth run on a solo home run in the sixth from Lane to make it 4-0 after six.
 
In the top of the eighth, Colin Adams connected on a solo homerun to left center for his third of the season, tied with EJ Exposito for the team lead, to cut into the deficit, 4-1.
 
The top of the ninth began with an Exposito walk, but it was quickly nullified with a double play ball. The Bulldogs forced another groundout to end the ballgame and secure the victory.
 
Loeschorn was given the loss after hurling seven and two thirds innings, giving up five hits and four earned runs while striking out seven batters. Lowe earned the win for Bryant. 
 
Up next, the Sharks will take on Bryant in the second game of the three-game series on Saturday, March 26 at 1:00 p.m.