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Norwich, CT - First, they broke the five-year postseason drought.

Then, they set the program record for victories.

Finally, the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds are Northeast Conference Tournament champions.

Needing only one more win to secure its first-ever NEC crown, LIU jumped out to a 7-0 lead and held on for an 8-5 victory over Verrazano Bridge rival Wagner.

First baseman Andrew Turner had never played in the NEC Tournament prior to this week, but he has envisioned this moment for quite some time.

"I've been seeing this in my head since Day 1, since the time I stepped foot on campus," said the all-NEC infielder who was taken in the 2017 MLB Draft, but returned for his senior season.

Now, after three wins in three days, it became reality.

"Four years, three coaching staffs, 16 wins my freshman year, but the one thing that has been constant has been that I've had 29 brothers alongside me working hard," said Turner during his on-field postgame interview with NEC Front Row.

Turner accounted for a .571 on-base percentage during the Blackbirds' three-day run, earning his way onto the nine-member NEC All-Tournament Team.

Junior outfielder Gregory Vaughn, who is one of eight junior college transfers on LIU's championship roster, opened the game's scoring by ripping a two-run single to leftfield with one out in the top of the fourth frame.

Vaughn, who scored two runs in the title clincher, totaled five RBI and three stolen bases since the four-team postseason event began on Thursday. Those contributions earned the outfielder the Tournament MVP award.

After Vaughn broke the scoreless tie, the Blackbirds bumped their lead to 4-0 on a sac fly from Anthony Warneke followed by a RBI single from Joe Mercadante. The latter reached base three times and recorded three RBI in the historic victory.

LIU Brooklyn added three more runs in the top half of the sixth inning with Warneke and Mercadante again being the culprits. Warneke singled home Dom Paiotti to force a pitching change with no outs.

Then, Mercadante rudely greeted the reliever by smoking a two-run single.

Trailing 7-0, Wagner bounced back by pushing across four runs in the bottom half of the sixth. Catcher Phil Capra's two-run hit was at the center of the rally.

Following Capra's clutch hit, relief pitcher Rob Griswold came in to replace starter Jackson Svete who threw 5.0 scoreless frames before running into sixth-inning trouble.

Griswold retired three batters in a row and LIU escaped the frame with a 7-4 advantage.

Carving out his place on the All-Tournament Team, Griswold proceeded to spin 3.0 innings of one-hit relief while permitting an unearned run.

"We're relentless," said Warneke following the game. "Nobody competes harder than us and we came out here and won a ring."

Having secured a spot on the Road to Omaha, LIU Brooklyn will enter the NCAA Regionals with a program-record 31 victories.

2018 NEC ALL-TOURNAMENT
Gregory Vaughn, Jr., LIU Brooklyn (MVP)
Joe Mercadante, LIU Brooklyn
Andrew Turner, LIU Brooklyn
Patrick Clyne, LIU Brooklyn
Rob Griswold, LIU Brooklyn
Neil Abbatiello, Wagner
Eric Ligda, Wagner
James Ciliento, Bryant
Ryan Ward, Bryant