Despite tying the game twice, Bulldogs fall, 4-3, to top-seeded Blackbirds, Thursday afternoon in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – In a close battle with No. 1 seeded LIU Brooklyn, the Bulldogs fought to tie the game twice, before the Blackbirds' run in the bottom of the fifth sealed home team's, 4-3, victory in game one of the Northeast Conference Championships on Thursday afternoon in Brooklyn.

Leading the Blackbirds (28-24) off in the bottom of the first Whitney West singled through the right side to take first. With two outs, Celinna Cosio doubled down the left field line, plating West from second to give LIU the 1-0 lead over the Bulldogs (12-35). The No. 1 seed pushed their margin to two, 2-0, after Kylie Mulholland doubled up the middle and Cosio ran in from second, beating the throw home from junior Haylee Haas's (Moorpark, Calif.) in centerfield.

In the top of the first, freshman Jessica Gradillas (Nogales, Ariz.) singled to centerfield, before moving to second off junior Taylor Burger's (Killingworth, Conn.) sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Robyn Ukegawa (Carlsbad, Calif.) singled to short and was then tagged out on her way to second as classmate Rachel Monroe (Southwick, Mass.) reached on fielders' choice. The Bulldogs got on the board after Monroe stole second on the 0-2 pitch, allowing Gradillas to score from third as the throw from the catcher went to second to make it 2-1.

With one out and runners on first and third, the Bulldogs tied it all up, 2-2, in the top of the third when senior Hayley Bottino's (Canyon Country, Calif.) single through the left side allowed peer Elle Madsen (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) to score from third.

The Blackbirds reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fourth as pinch runner Alyssa Lanktree-Dotson scored from third off Madsen's wild pitch to make it 3-2, but it was not for long as Madsen came back with vengeance, homering to left center to tie the contest, 3-3, in the top of the fifth.

The Bulldogs made some incredible fielding plays through their six innings on defense, including Hass's layout in left center and Bottino's reach and ability to hold onto the bouncing throw despite being run into by the base runner to record the second out in the bottom of the fourth with the score tied 2-2.

In the back-and-forth game in Brooklyn, the hosts took a 4-3 advantage in the bottom of the fifth after Mulholland singled to left center with two outs, allowing pinch runner Shelley Proctor to score from second. Haas wrapped up the Blackbirds' one-run fifth inning, running under the fly out to center for the third out, leaving two Blackbirds on base.

Both teams came up empty in the sixth, sending the nail biter into the seventh at LIU Field.

The 2016 NEC Pitcher of the Year Erynn Sobieski put the game away for the Blackbirds in the top of the seventh, striking out three-straight batters to seal the 4-3 LIU victory in game one of the NEC Championships. Sobieski moved to 18-16 on the season in the circle, throwing seven strikeouts, while letting up three runs off five hits. Madsen recorded the loss, letting up four runs off seven hits, while striking out two batters. On offense, the senior went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, including the game-tying homer in the top of the fifth.

Due to the expected bad weather, tomorrow's elimination game against No. 3 Robert Morris will be played at 12:30 p.m. at LIU Field.