WAPPINGER FALLS, N.Y. — LIU rallied late with a seven-run eighth inning to take down the Merrimack Warriors, 11-9, and advance to the NEC Tournament Finals at Heritage Financial Park, home to the Hudson Valley Renegades, the minor-league affiliate of the New York Yankees.  

Trailing 6-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Sharks cut the lead to three on a wild pitch and narrowed the deficit to two on a fielder's choice from Carlton Harper with Benjamin Fierenzi scoring on an errant throw from Merrimack catcher Mathew Chattelle. 

With the season on the line, LIU tied things up in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI double from Jacob Pipercic and a run-scoring single from redshirt freshman Noah Sorensen.

Seth Surrett came to bat and hit a slow-roller in front of home plate. Merrimack pitcher Jack Collins uncorked a throw up the first-base line that made it into the outfield and Sorensen scored the go-ahead run. 

That wasn't it for the Sharks, as with the bases loaded, JC Navarro took a 1-2 pitch over the right-field fence for a grand slam to give LIU a late five-run lead. 

Reliever Jack VanDoran pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings to pick up the win for the Sharks, the first of his accomplished LIU career. Merrimack brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth, but PJ Moritz recorded the final out, picking up his second save of the tournament. 

All-NEC first team performer Jake Mastillo finished the game 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and two walks, while Sorensen had a team-high three hits and scored two runs. Pipercic also scored two runs for the Sharks. 

This marks the third time in five seasons that LIU has reached the NEC Finals, and the first time since they won the tournament in 2022.   

The dramatic victory puts the Sharks in the NEC Championship round against top-seeded Sacred Heart. First pitch for the first game of the championship round is scheduled for today at 4:30 p.m. ET on NEC Front Row and ESPN+.

LIU will need to win today's matchup with Sacred Heart to force a deciding game on Sunday for the NEC title, which if necessary, will begin at 12 p.m. ET.