Evansville, Ind. – Eric Stamets went 2-for-4 and drove in the game-winning run in the eighth inning to give Evansville a 4-3 win over the Le Moyne College baseball team on the second day of Evansville's Dunn Hospitality Diamond Classic on Saturday afternoon at Braun Stadium.
The Purple Aces scored the game's first run on one hit in the third inning. Cody Fick walked with two outs and moved to second on a bunt single by Greg Wallace. After Fick stole third base, Trentt Copeland reached on an error to allow Fick to score.
Senior left fielder Chris Edmondson (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City) pulled the Dolphins even with a lead-off home run to right center in the fourth inning. The homer marked the 34th of his career, two off the program's record of 36 held by Chuck Kulle '93.
Le Moyne took the lead in the sixth inning with two runs on three hits. Freshman Zack Wiley (Toluca Woods, Calif./Crespi) drew a walk to open the inning and knock Evansville starter Sam Johns out of the game. Sophomore shortstop Matt Marra (Brewerton, N.Y./Central Square) greeted Zach Taylor with a double to left field to drive in Wiley. Edmondson followed with a single up the middle to plate Marra with his 142nd career RBI, the third-highest total in the program's history. After senior center fielder Sean Paino (Wappinger Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) singled to left field to knock Taylor out of the game, Corey Davisson came out of the bullpen and induced a double play and a fly out to strand Edmondson at third base.
Evansville responded with two runs on two hits and an error to even the score at three runs apiece. Chris Pearson led off the frame with a double down the left field line and advanced to third on a wild pitch as Nate Smith struck out. After Alex Acheson was hit by a pitch and Stamets reached on a bunt single to load the bases, Pearson and Acheson scored as Stamets advanced to third on a throwing error by the third baseman on a ground ball by Tom Heithoff.
The Purple Aces took the lead with a run on one hit and an error in the bottom of the eighth inning. Smith singled to lead off the frame and advanced to second on a throwing error by the shortstop. Acheson followed with a sacrifice bunt to push Smith to third before Stamets drove in Smith with a sac fly to left field.
Davisson picked up his first win of the year by tossing three hitless innings and striking out one batter. Heithoff picked up his third save with a scoreless ninth inning after moving to the mound from first base. Sophomore Erik Lambe (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) took the loss after yielding three runs (one earned) on three hits over three innings of work. Junior southpaw Cory Nelson (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) allowed just an unearned run on six hits, while striking out three batters over the first five innings.
Le Moyne (5-9), which has lost six of its last seven games, closes out its stretch of eight games in 10 days over the College's Spring Break on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. EST against Morehead State at the Dunn Hospitality Diamond Classic.
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Evansville 4, Le Moyne 3
Le Moyne (5-9) 000 102 000 - 3 7 3
Evansville (6-9) 001 002 01X - 4 9 0
Le Moyne (5-9): Cory Nelson, Erik Lambe (6, L, 1-1) and Kyle Kalaka.
Evansville (6-9): Sam Johns, Zach Taylor (6), Corey Davisson (6, W, 1-1), Tom Heithoff (9, S, 3) and Chris Pearson.
