Emmitsburg, Md. (April 6, 2012)--Mark Quaranta smacked a three-run homer to give the Mount the lead while Josh Winter followed with a solo homer to lift Mount St. Mary's to a 5-1 win over LIU Brooklyn in the second game of a doubleheader at the Mount's E.T. Straw Family Stadium on campus.  The Blackbirds held on for a 3-2 win in the opening game.

Trailing 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, Nick Walker walked and Austin Carter singled to put runners on first and second with two outs.  Quaranta worked a full count and then drove the ball to deep right field for a three-run homer to give the Mount a 3-1 lead.  It was his team-leading fourth home run of the year.  Winter made it back-to-back home runs when he drilled a line drive home run to left for a 4-1 advantage.

The Mount (10-23, 3-12 NEC) added a run in the bottom of the sixth when Michael Foster singled, Sam Nott singled, and Jack Schwartz doubled down the third-base line to give the Mount a 5-1 lead.

Freshman Scott Nickerson struck out three while allowing an unearned run and four hits in five innings to post his first collegiate win.  Dan Horner pitched two scoreless innings of relief to pick up his third save of the year.

In the opening game, Mount freshman Thomas Williams and LIU junior Matt McCormick had an old fashioned pitcher's duel as the teams were scoreless through six innings of play.

The Blackbirds (13-18, 5-6 NEC) broke through for three runs in the top of the seventh.  Julian Castro singled with one out, and when Chris Untereiner's fly ball to right field was dropped, putting runners on second and third.  After an intentional walk to Tito Marrero, Derek Stupski singled off the fence in right field to plate two runs.  Marrerro came home to score on a Ben Greve squeeze bunt.

The Mount rallied in the bottom of the seventh to make things interesting.  Nott singled and Ryan Owens doubled to put runners on second and third with one out.  Nott scampered home on a wild pitch and Schwartz had a clutch RBI single up the middle to cut the deficit to 3-2.  After a fielder's choice for the second out, Walker attempted to steal second, but LIU pitcher Marrerro stepped off and threw Walker out at second to end the game.

Williams allowed three runs (two earned) with four strikeouts in the complete-game loss.  McCormick struck out seven in 6.1 innings to pick up the win for LIU with Marrerro getting the final two outs for the save.

The teams complete the four-game series tomorrow with a nine-inning game at 1:00 p.m. at Straw Family Stadium on campus.