WAPPINGER FALLS, N.Y. — Starter Garrett Yawn twirled six innings of two-run baseball to lift LIU past Wagner College 6-3 in their first game of the NEC Tournament at Heritage Financial Park, home to the Hudson Valley Renegades, the minor-league affiliate of the New York Yankees.  

Yawn, a first-team All-NEC selection, kept the Seahawks off the scoreboard through the first five innings before surrendering two runs in the top half of the sixth. He built off his 2023 All-NEC Tournament selection with six strong innings, allowing five hits, two runs (one earned), two walks with six strikeouts. 

Jacob Pipercic started the scoring for LIU with a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the third off Wagner starter Ryan Bilka. Senior Carlton Harper drove in two more runs in the third to put the Sharks on top 3-0. 

With the score 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth, a couple of All-NEC performers pushed the lead for LIU with back-to-back homers. Second-team selection Benjamin Fierenzi launched a shot to left field, which was followed with a moonshot by first-team honoree Jake Mastillo, who hit one off the WMC Health Lounge in left. 

Reliever Jack VanDoran took over for Yawn in the seventh inning, and despite allowing a run in the eighth, he escaped further damage to keep LIU's lead. PJ Moritz picked up the save after entering the ninth inning with runners on base.

Harper finished the game 3-for-5 with two RBI and a stolen base, while leadoff man Seth Surrett reached base safely in four of his five at-bats while scoring one run.

The Sharks will play top-seeded Sacred Heart on Friday, May 24 at 12 p.m. ET for the right to clinch a spot in the NEC Tournament Championship. Neither team can be eliminated with a loss and the loser of tomorrow's game will face off against a yet-to-be determined opponent on Saturday, May 25 at 12 p.m. ET. 

Sharks fans can catch all of the action on NEC Front Row and ESPN+.