Staten Island, N.Y. – LIU began its three-game weekend series against Wagner with a 6-4 win on Friday afternoon.

The Sharks jumped out to an early lead in the first inning when Joseph Durso drove in Benjamin Fierenzi for his tenth RBI of the year. Jacob Pipercic later scored on a passed ball, giving LIU a 2-0 lead.

Wagner picked up a run in the second inning, but LIU added to its lead the very next inning, courtesy of a two-run home run from Jack Power, his sixth of the season. Wagner later went on to tie the game at four, but the Sharks came soaring back in the top of the ninth inning with two runs to recapture the lead. Fierenzi drove in one run via a ground out with two runners on, and Pipercic scored his second run of the game, this time on a wild pitch.

Pipercic's clutch play continued as LIU took the field in the bottom of the ninth. The Seahawks were threatening to tie things up again with two runners on and nobody out, but the graduate student sparked a 9-2 double play by catching a fly ball to right field and ultimately throwing out the runner attempting to tag and score from third. This squashed Wagner's momentum, all but putting an end to a late rally before LIU got the final out of the game and secured the win.

Garrett Yawn was the winning pitcher for the Sharks and RJ Latkowski pitched four and a third innings of scoreless relief, striking out four and keeping Wagner in check.

The doubleheader between LIU and Wagner will continue on Friday afternoon with game two.