Huntington, W. Va. – Senior center fielder Sean Paino (Wappinger Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and two runs scored to lead the Le Moyne College baseball team to a 5-4 win over Marshall on Friday afternoon at the Kennedy Center.
Le Moyne opened the scoring with three runs on four hits in the first inning. Freshman second baseman Zack Wiley (Toluca Woods, Calif./Crespi) and sophomore right fielder Brett Botsford (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) singled to lead off the game. After a double play removed Botsford from the basepaths and sophomore shortstop Matt Marra (Brewerton, N.Y./Central Square) walked, Paino doubled to left field to drive in Wiley and Marra. Junior first baseman Don Schaaf (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood HS) followed with a triple to knock in Paino.
The Thundering Herd pulled within 3-2 with a pair of runs on two hits in the third inning. Alfredo Brito led off the frame with a solo home run to right center. Following a ground out, Kurt Lipton walked and Nathan Gomez doubled down the right field line. Eric Semeniuk then grounded out to Wiley to plate Lipton.
The Dolphins increased their lead to two runs with a run on just one hit in the sixth inning. Paino doubled down the right field line to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a passed ball. Schaaf then drove in Paino for the second time in the game with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Marshall evened the score at four apiece in the seventh inning with two runs on three hits. Brito opened the frame with a single up the middle. Victor Gomez, the reigning Conference USA co-Hitter of the Week, followed with a double down the right field line. Lipton then singled up the middle to drive in Brito and move Victor Gomez to third. After a pair of outs, Victor Gomez scored on a wild pitch to knot the score.
Le Moyne regained the lead in the next inning without recording a hit. Marra led off by drawing a walk and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Paino. Marra then advanced to third on a wild pitch and came in to score on a throwing error by the catcher.
Junior right-hander Jeff Tardiff (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) struck out four batters over six innings, while allowing just two runs on six hits. Senior lefty Luke Nellis (Fonda, N.Y./Fonda-Fultonville) earned his first win despite allowing two runs on three hits in one inning. Sophomore righty Erik Lambe (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) earned his first save by striking out three batters in tossing the final two innings. Tyler Gatrell took the loss for the Herd in relief of Ian Kadish. Gatrell gave up one unearned run in two innings of work.
Le Moyne (6-10), which snapped its four-game losing streak, returns to action for a doubleheader against Marshall on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.
-agate-
Le Moyne 5, Marshall 4 Le Moyne (6-10) 300 001 010 - 5 7 2
Marshall (7-7) 002 000 200 - 4 10 1
Le Moyne (6-10): Jeff Tardiff, Luke Nellis (W, 1-0), Erik Lambe (8, S, 1) and Kyle Kalaka.
Marshall (7-7): Ian Kadish, Kyle Blank, Tyler Gatrell (8, L, 0-1) and Victor Gomez.
