COLLEGE PARK, Md. — A historic season came to a close on Saturday.
Wake Forest defeated the LIU baseball team, 10-4, in an ESPNU-televised game at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium to end the Sharks' trip to the NCAA Regional.
LIU (37-21) nonetheless produced lofty results this season, including setting the program's Division I record for wins and ending Bryant's nine-year reign as the Northeast Conference's regular-season champions.
"This is an outstanding year for LIU baseball," coach
Dan Pirillo said. "... It's always the hardest day of the year. There are lot of guys whose careers end with that final out today. But I'm so proud and so grateful to watch them play this spring — getting a chance to compete for a championship, giving everything they've got."
In the first-ever meeting among the programs, Wake Forest slugged three first-inning homers to grab a 4-0 lead and chase starter
Jalen Wade, although the Sharks hung tough.
Nick DeSalvo entered and kept the Demon Deacons off the scoreboard over the next four frames.
Although a handful have remaining collegiate eligibility, LIU is expected to bid farewell to 13 members from the 2022 squad with Saturday's loss:
Colin Adams,
Giovanni Ciaccio,
Victor DeNicola, DeSalvo,
Michael Edelman,
Joshua Gainer,
Kurt Lange,
Joshua Loeschorn,
Ryan Mullahey,
Ryan Neuweiler,
Luke Turner,
Jalen Wade and
Christopher Wasson.
Neuweiler, who also was part of LIU's 2018 NCAA Tournament team, completed the game on the mound for the Sharks.
Freshman
Jack Power launched a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth.
Fourth-seeded LIU fell to host Maryland in the regional opener on Friday night.
Other 2022 accomplishments for the Sharks: Loeschorn produced the most wins by an LIU D-I pitcher in 58 years en route to being named a Collegiate Baseball second-team All-American. Edelman swiped 27 bases, one shy of matching the program's single-season record.
Seth Surrett closed the season with an active 41-game on-base streak. And
EJ Exposito became the first LIU D-I player since 1999 to reach double-figures in home runs, finishing with 13.
"It's been talked about within our program to keep getting on to the next level," Pirillo said. "This year we were able to show what we can do in the NEC. ... [and] breaking the win record. It's really huge for what we're trying to do at LIU. The next step is to do a little bit more at the regional. It's not easy. There are no easy regions. There are no easy teams. But I think that's the next step to get where we want to go."
