Huntington, W. Va. – Sophomore Mark Kuzma (Waverly, N.Y./Waverly) struck out 10 batters and senior left fielder Chris Edmondson (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City) had six hits, scored three runs and drove in a pair to lead the Le Moyne College baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Marshall on Saturday afternoon at the Kennedy Center. The Dolphins took game one, 12-3, and downed the Thundering Herd, 7-2, in the nightcap.
The Dolphins scored once in the first inning of the opening game to take an early lead. Freshman second baseman Zack Wiley (Toluca Woods, Calif./Crespi) led off the game with a single to right center and came around to score on a double to left center by sophomore right fielder Brett Botsford (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker).
Marshall took the lead in the fourth inning with two runs on one hit. Josh Valle drew a walk to open the frame. Two batters later, Victor Gomez drilled a home run to right center field.
Le Moyne answered back in the next half inning with four runs on three hits to regain the lead. Botsford walked with two outs and advanced to second on a single by Edmondson. Sophomore shortstop Matt Marra (Brewerton, N.Y./Central Square) followed with a single to right field to drive in Botsford. Senior center fielder Sean Paino (Wappinger Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) then blasted his first home run of the season over the fence in left field.
The Dolphins extended their lead to 6-1 with a run on two hits and an error in the seventh inning. Edmondson singled to left field with one out and proceeded to steal second base, while being able to move to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Marra then singled through the left side to plate Edmondson. The Thundering Herd got the run back on a lead-off home run to right center by Thor Meeks.
Le Moyne tacked on six runs over the final two innings. Junior first baseman Don Schaaf (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood HS) opened the eighth with a walk, moved to second on a sac bunt and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Pinch-hitter Matthew Ciraco (White Plains, N.Y./Perkiomen School) then singled up the middle to plate Schaaf and force a pitching change. Following a single by sophomore third baseman Vince Redmond (Ithaca, N.Y./Lansing/Garrett College), Wiley reached on a bunt single to knock in Ciraco. After Botsford was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Edmondson plated Redmond as he reached on a fielder's choice. Marra then knocked in Wiley with the final run of the inning with a ground out.
The Dolphins closed out the game's scoring with a pair of runs on two hits in the ninth inning. Schaaf walked and advanced to second on a passed ball to open the inning. Senior catcher Rich Brown (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) followed with a double to plate Schaaf. Two batters later, Redmond drove in Brown with a single to right center to deliver the final score.
Junior southpaw Cory Nelson (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) earned his first win of the season by striking out eight batters over seven innings, while scattering six hits and three runs. Shane Farrell suffered the loss for the Herd after giving up five runs on six hits over five innings pitched. Edmondson and Redmond each had three hits in the game, while Wiley and Marra had two hits apiece.
Le Moyne scored twice in the first inning of the nightcap to take a lead it would not relinquish. Wiley led off with a double to right center and moved to third on a sac bunt by Botsford. Marra then tripled down the left field line to score Wiley. Edmondson followed with a double to right field to drive in Marra. The run batted in by Edmondson marked the 145th of his career to move into second place on the program's all-time chart.
The Dolphins extended their lead to 6-0 with four runs on five hits in the third inning. Wiley reached on a bunt single and Botsford doubled to open the frame. Marra then singled down the right field line to score Wiley and Botsford. After Edmondson singled and Paino recorded a sac bunt to move Marra to third and Edmondson to second, Ciraco singled to left field to plate Marra and Edmondson and knock Marshall starter Mike Mason out of the game.
Marshall scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to pull within 6-2. Victor Gomez accounted for the run in the third inning with a two-out solo home run to left field. In the fourth, Kirby Pellant singled with one out, stole second, moved to third on a single by Justin Maynard and scored on an error by the pitcher.
Le Moyne completed the game's scoring in the sixth inning with a run on two hits. Brown led off with a single to center field. After advancing to second on a wild pitch and moving to third on a single by freshman catcher Brian Stinson (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley), Brown scored on a sac fly to center by Wiley.
Kuzma scattered seven hits, while allowing just two runs (one earned) in recording his first career complete game. Kuzma's 10 strikeouts are the most by a Dolphin this season. Mason took the loss after giving up six runs on eight hits in just two and one-third innings.
Le Moyne (8-10), which has won three straight games after losing four straight, looks to complete the four-game series sweep of the Thundering Herd on Sunday at 11:00 a.m.
-agate-
Game One Le Moyne 12, Marshall 3 Le Moyne (7-10) 100 040 142 - 12 14 0
Marshall (7-8) 000 200 100 - 3 7 1
Le Moyne (7-10): Cory Nelson (W, 1-1), Tom McDermott (8) and Rich Brown.
Marshall (7-8): Shane Farrell (L, 1-2), James White (6), Kyle Blank (7), Kevin Shackelford (7), Ben Frith (8), Mike Cavalli (8), Mark Cann (9) and Thor Meeks.
Game Two Le Moyne 7, Marshall 2
Le Moyne (8-10) 204 001 0 - 7 12 1
Marshall (7-9) 001 100 0 - 2 7 0
Le Moyne (8-10): Mark Kuzma (W, 1-1) and Brian Stinson.
Marshall (7-9): Mike Mason (L, 2-2), James White (3), Kyle Blank (6) and Victor Gomez.
