Syracuse, N.Y. – Sophomore shortstop Matt Marra (Brewerton, N.Y./Central Square) singled in the game-winning run with one out in the ninth inning to give the Le Moyne College baseball team a 7-6 win over Cornell on Wednesday afternoon in the home opener at Dick Rockwell Field.
The Big Red scored twice in the first inning to take an early lead. Marshall Yanzick singled up the middle with one out and advanced to second on a double down the right field line by Mickey Brodsky. After Yanzick was tagged out trying to score on a ground ball by Frank Hager, Brandon Lee singled through the right side to drive in Brodsky and Hager.
The Dolphins got one run back on two hits in the bottom of the first. Freshman second baseman Zack Wiley (Toluca Woods, Calif./Crespi) led off with a single to center and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, senior left fielder Chris Edmondson (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City) singled to right center to knock in Wiley.
Cornell extended its lead to 4-1 in the sixth inning on a two-run homer down the left field line by Jadd Schmeltzer that also scored Nate David, who reached on a single to center.
Le Moyne took a 5-4 advantage in the bottom of the seventh inning with four runs on three hits. Junior Don Schaaf (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood HS) followed a single by senior center fielder Sean Paino (Wappinger Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) and a pair of strikeouts with a two-run homer to right center. After a two walks and a Cornell pitching change, sophomore designated hitter Matt Ciraco (White Plains, N.Y./Perkiomen School) singled to right field to drive in freshman Paul Speicher (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury), who walked as a pinch-hitter. Wiley then scored from third on a wild pitch to give the Dolphins the lead.
The Big Red regained the lead with a run in the eighth inning and a run in the ninth. David opened the eighth with a double to center field. After a pair of ground outs, Matt Langseth singled up the middle to drive in David from third. In the ninth inning, Yanzick reached on a throwing error by the shortstop and moved to third on a double down the left field line by Brodsky. After a ground out and Yanzick being caught trying to steal home, Lee reached on a throwing error by the shortstop to allow Brodsky to score from third.
Schaaf started the Le Moyne rally in the ninth with a double to center field. On a sacrifice bunt attempt by Speicher, the pitcher threw the ball wide of the first baseman to allow Schaaf to score. Following intentional walks to Wiley and Edmondson around a sac bunt by Ciraco to load the bases, Marra singled over the right fielder's head to plate Speicher with the game-winning run.
Senior lefty Luke Nellis (Fonda, N.Y./Fonda-Fultonville) picked up the win out of the bullpen after allowing an unearned run on one hit in an inning on the mound, while striking out one batter. David Rochefort suffered the loss after yielding two runs (one earned) on three hits and three intentional walks in one and two-thirds innings pitched.
Le Moyne (14-12), which has won three straight games and nine of its last 11, returns to action on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. for the start of a four-game series with Stony Brook.
