Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College baseball team dropped a pair of games on Saturday to Longwood University, a 12-11 extra-inning slugfest in game one and a pitchers dual in game two 5-2. Le Moyne falls to 18-16 on the year, while Longwood improves to 16-13.
In game one, Longwood manufactured three runs in the top half of the ninth inning to push the game into extra innings capitalizing on two Le Moyne defensive miscues. In the 12th, the Lancers added four runs on two hits as Casey Havers drove in two of his three RBI's on a single up the middle.
The Dolphins rallied in the bottom of the 12th as Ryan Mahoney (Clay, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) reached for the fifth time of the game on an error by the shortstop followed by a single by Joe Lombardi (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y./Briarcliff). An RBI single by freshman Zack Wiley (Toluca Woods, Calif./Crespi) to centerfield cut the deficit to 12-9. With the bases loaded, the Lancers failed to turn a double-play on bouncer to short and committed a throwing error to allow Wiley and Lombardi to cross home plate cutting the gap to one at 12-11. Following an intentional walk to Chris Edmondson (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City), freshman Brian Stinston (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) bounced back to the mound as Lance Harting closed the door on the Dolphins with a seal the one-run victory.
Phil Cerreto led the charge for the Lancers going three-for-five at the plate with four runs batted in, a home run and a double. Six different Dolphins recorded multiple hits in game one as Le Moyne banged out a season-high 19 hits. Ryan Mahoney added four hits on six at bats and Kyle Kalaka (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) drove in three, scored twice and recorded his first career home run.
After recording the final three outs in game one, Lance Harting started on the hill for Longwood in game two.
Le Moyne got on the board in the first inning as Edmondson came around to score from second on a throwing error by the Lancer third baseman from a bouncing ball off the bat of Sean Paino (Wappinger Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham). Harting and Le Moyne starter Cory Nelson (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) made quick work of the opposing lineup and put up zeros until the sixth inning.
Longwood pushed across three runs in top half of the sixth on a two-run homer by Cerreto and an RBI double to left center by Lacey. The Lancers would strike again in the following inning as Casey Havers connected for a home run to right field to extend the lead to 5-1.
Le Moyne would respond in their last licks with a run on one hit, but Harting found the final three outs for the complete game two-hitter.
Le Moyne and Longwood resume their series on Sunday with their third and final game set for noon. Sunday's game will be available on a tape-delay on www.lemoynedolphins.tv.
