SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Junior Ben Gaal (Manlius, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) blasted a three-run home run in the opener and Michael Falasca (Sicklerville, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) earned his fifth win in the nightcap as Le Moyne swept Rider 10-4, 5-3 in a MAAC doubleheader at Dick Rockwell Field. The Dolphins (36-12, 21-5 MAAC) close out their league schedule with 14 straight wins, while Rider dips to 25-29 overall and 17-10 in the MAAC. The 36 victories have equaled the program Division I win mark, previously set in 2004.
In the opener, Gaal helped stake Le Moyne starter T.J. Sheridan (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) to a 5-0 lead with a three-run home run in the bottom of the first. The Dolphins took advantage of a two-out Rider fielding error and a hit batsman to set up Gaal's 13th home run of the season. Gaal is one home run shy of equaling the program single-season mark for round-trippers.
Keith Connors (Jamesport, N.Y./Commack), Phil St. Amant (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport), and Jamie Rose (Hornell, N.Y./Hornell) had two hits each for Le Moyne. Gaal and Connors drove in three runs each. The Dolphins outhit their guests 12-7. James Hayes and Maurice Williams had two hits each for Rider.
Sheridan (8-0) allowed four runs on seven hits and struck out five over five and 1/3 innings for his eighth win of the season. Ryan Woods got the final two outs of the sixth inning and a perfect seventh for his team-high 10th save of the season. Rider starter Jim Kennedy (6-3) was touched up for eight runs (four earned) on 10 hits in five innings of action.
With the score tied at one in the bottom of the fourth inning of game two, senior shortstop Michael Affronti (Dix Hills, N.Y./Commack) blasted his 12th home run of the season to put the Dolphins up for good, 3-1. Affronti, who is hitting a league-best .401 on the season, Connors and Gaal each had two hits. Hayes had three hits, including a double for Rider.
Falasca (5-4) gave up three runs, struck out two, walked two and scattered nine hits over seven and two-thirds for his fifth win of the season. Senior southpaw A.J. Lindsey (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) did not allow a hit over the final one and one-third for his eighth save of the season.
Le Moyne, the top seed for the MAAC tournament, will meet the No. 4 seed on Thursday at Dutchess County Stadium in Fishkill, N.Y. Check the MAAC website at http://www.maacsports.com/ for tournament information.
