BOCA RATON, Fla. – A pair of defensive substitutions in the late innings helped Lynn University's baseball team snap a 3-3 tie in the seventh and carry the Fighting Knights to a 5-3 victory over Molloy on Wednesday afternoon.  Eric Herrera went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs, Jason Matusik had two runs batted in, including driving in the winning run, and Austin Bailey was superb in relief in picking up the win on the mound.  The 23rd-ranked Fighting Knights improve to 14-7 overall.

Threatening with runners in scoring position in both the first and second frames, Molloy (5-10) was able to keep the Blue & White off the board despite the wildness of starter Angel Beltre.

Lynn proved the third time is the charm by taking a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third.  Consecutive singles by Herrera and Anthony Boza, followed by a walk to Cory Elasik loaded the bases for LU.  Matusik was able to bring Herrera home with a sacrifice fly to right field while Phil Mannelly and Paul Stortini later smacked consecutive singles to drive home Boza and Elasik.

Kentrail Pierce earned the start on the mound and cruised through the first three frames.  The fourth and fifth innings proved much more difficult for the right-hander.  Molloy started the fourth with three straight hits, two doubles and a single, to cut the deficit to 3-1.  Robert Inzerillo brought the Lions to within one run, 3-2, with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Erick Pyle then knotted the game at three in the fifth when a double down the left field line scored Greg Walsh from second base.  Bailey (2-2) entered and fanned Ryan Akers to end the inning.  The lanky right-hander would strike out the first two batters in the sixth inning en route to five Ks in 3.1 innings of relief.

Herrera opened the seventh with a double into the gap in left center and trotted across home plate when Matusik lined a 2-0 fastball into center field for the go-ahead run.

An injury to Kyle Radzewski forced head coach Rudy Garbalosa to shift his infield around and bring Joey Sharkey into the game.  The next inning, with the game still tied, Austin Smith and Kamm Washington entered as defensive replacements. Smith would lead off the eighth with a triple and score off Sharkey's sac fly to right field, giving Lynn a much-needed insurance run.

Joe Perrotta came on to close things out in the ninth and set down the Lions in order to pick up his second save of the season.  Lynn's pitching staff fanned eight hitters while the offense did not pick up a strikeout.

Lynn returns to the diamond on Friday, March 16, at 3 p.m. when it begins a three-game series with Palm Beach Atlantic.  Fans can follow the action live at LynnFightingKnights.com by selecting the Game Central icon.