Mount starter Max Brittenham pitched a complete game in the loss, allowing five runs while striking out nine.  It is the seventh consecutive complete game for the right hander, making him the first player since the Mount moved to Division I in 1989 to have seven complete games in a row.

Mount St. Mary's (12-27, 6-19 NEC) loaded the bases with two outs in the first, Sam Nott popped to left field to end the inning.

Long Island's Tyler Jones, who entered the game with an NEC-best .432 average, belted a solo home run in the bottom of the first for a 1-0 advantage.

Jones was at it again in the fourth when he doubled and later scored on a Julian Castro two-base hit.  Pete Leonello added to the LIU lead when he singled home Tito Marrero in the fifth.

Kyle Kane and Shane Eyler opened the sixth with back-to-back singles, but the Mount was unable to score in the inning.

The Blackbirds (23-15, 15-5 NEC) sealed the win with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth.  Sam Sciamarelli had a sacrifice fly and Jones and RBI single in the inning.

Kane and Eyler each finished the day 2-for-3 at the plate.  Kane, Josh Winter, Tommy Flynn and Tom Healy each had doubles in the loss.

Chris Franzese tossed a complete-game shutout for LIU, scattering eight hits in the game that lasted just one hour and 48 minutes.

Jones, who was 6-for-6 in the opening game of the series against the Mount last year, went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in.

The four-game series continues with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader tomorrow.

Game Notes:  Long Island holds a 41-22 lead in the all-time series...The Mount is 15-12 over the past 27 meetings with the Blackbirds.