BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Junior Brandon Bingel (Peabody, Mass.) struck out seven over six-plus innings to help the No. 20 Bryant University baseball team earn a split with a 7-3 victory in game two against LIU Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon at LIU Field.

With the win, the Bulldogs (34-9, 17-3 NEC) remain the only team in the country to not have lost back-to-back games this year. It is also the 800th career victory for head coach Steve Owens. He becomes the 31st active head coach to reach the milestone. The loss drops the Blackbirds, a 7-2 winner in game one, to 14-29 overall and 8-12 in the NEC.

In need of a strong start, Bingel gave the Bulldogs that and more. He improved to 7-2 on the year as he allowed three runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out seven. The seven strikeouts are one shy of a career high. Bingel had allowed just one run going into the seventh but the Blackbirds rallied to score two runs and chase him from the game. Sophomore Justin Snyder (Georgetown, Mass.) was able to close the door, recording the final three outs to earn his eighth save of the year.  

Like they did in game one, the Bulldogs used a home run to take an early lead. Senior Robby Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) beat out a possible double-play ball and junior Matt Albanese (East Haddam, Conn.) followed with a fly ball to right field. It carried, however, and fell into the short porch at LIU Field for a two-run home run. It was his 10th home run of the year.

The Blackbirds quickly answered back in their first at-bat, plating a run. Brian Lamboy was hit by a pitch to open the game, took second on a sac bunt and went to third on a wild pitch. Andy Camilo brought him home with a ground out to second base.

Bryant extended its lead with a run in the fifth inning. Junior Cole Fabio (Mahwah, N.J.) doubled down the left field to open the inning and then came around to score as Rinn laced a double off the left field wall. It was Rinn's league-leading 17th double of the season.

The Bulldogs added four key insurance runs in the top of the seventh to put the game away. Rinn beat out an infield single and back-to-back singles from senior Buck McCarthy (Saugus, Mass.) and sophomore Mickey Gasper (Merrimack, N.H.) plated him to make it 4-1. LIU then intentionally walked senior Zach Wood (Griswold, Conn.) to load the bases and classmate AJ Zarozny (Shrewsbury, Mass.) cleared them by lining a 3-2 pitch into the left field corner to make it 7-1.

Rinn and Fabio each finished with two hits, while Rinn also scored a pair of runs. His third-inning walk extended his on-base streak to 39 games. Albnese extended his on-base streak to 34 games.

Vincent Tranchina suffered the loss for LIU, allowing three runs on four hits over 4 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out four. Tommy Jakubowski had two hits for the Blackbirds.

The two teams wrap up their four-game series on Sunday with a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m.