STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The reigning NEC champions will return to the conference tournament next week to defend their title.
The Sharks clinched a spot by defeating Wagner, 3-2, in Thursday's series opener at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park.
Left fielder
Jake Mastillo, a converted catcher, ended the game when he threw out the would-be tying runner trying to tag and score from third base on a flyout in the bottom of the ninth.
That allowed left-hander
Jack VanDoran to close out the save. The southpaw recorded the final five outs.
"I saw the ball between [center fielder] Jarod [Wade] and me, and in my own head, I'm like, 'I'm taking this ball,'" Mastillo said. "I wanted it so badly. Honestly, it was all a blur. It's one of those things where everything our coaches do every day just comes forward."
After inheriting a pair of baserunners from
Tatsuya Uemoto with one out in the eighth, VanDoran coaxed a fielder's choice groundout from Dante Faicchio. He then struck out pinch hitter Xavier Ulrich to strand the potential tying run at third base.
The Sharks overcame a 2-1 deficit with a pair of runs in the eighth.
Tucker LeMay scored from third on Mastillo's fielder's choice grounder.
Seth Surrett also scored on the play, when the throw to the plate trying to catch LeMay overshot its target.
LIU improved to 16-12 in NEC play to secure the spot in next week's NEC tourney.
