Buffalo, N.Y. – Senior righty Jeff Tardiff (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) pitched a complete-game four-hitter to lead the Le Moyne College baseball team to a split of a doubleheader with Buffalo on Monday afternoon at Audubon Field. The Dolphins won the opener, 3-1, before falling in the nightcap, 3-2, in eight innings.
The Dolphins got on the scoreboard first in the opening game with a run on one hit in the second inning. Sophomore shortstop Ryan Mahoney (Clay, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) led off by drawing a walk and moved to third with one out on a single to right center by sophomore first baseman Kody O'Connor (Mexico, N.Y./Mexico). Mahoney then scored on a wild pitch.
The Bulls knotted the score at one in the third with an unearned run on one hit and two Le Moyne errors. With two outs, center fielder Matt Pollock reached on a throwing error by the shortstop. After moving to second on a single up the middle by right fielder Jason Kanzler, Pollock scored as catcher Tom Murphy reached on a throwing error by the third baseman.
The Dolphins regained the lead in the next inning with a run on one hit and a Buffalo error. O'Connor doubled down the left field line with two outs and came around to score as sophomore second baseman Vincent Redmond (Ithaca, N.Y./Lansing/Garrett College) reached on a fielding error by the second baseman.
Le Moyne added an insurance run on two hits and a Buffalo error in the sixth. Junior third baseman Matt Marra (Brewerton, N.Y./Central Square) reached on an error by the second baseman to open the frame and moved around to third following a sacrifice bunt and a groundout. Sophomore designated hitter/catcher Brian Stinson (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) then singled up the middle to drive in Marra.
Tardiff struck out a season-high eight batters in going the distance for his second straight four-hitter, while allowing just an unearned run. O'Connor accounted for half of Le Moyne's six hits, while freshman right fielder Nate Reynolds (Johnson City, N.Y./Maine-Endwell) had a pair of hits. Daniel Ginader took the loss after allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits over six innings pitched, while striking out six.
In the nightcap, the Bulls struck first with a pair of runs on four hits in the bottom of the third inning. Catcher Jamie Jiron led off with a single to left field and moved to second on a two-out single to left by Pollock. Kanzler then doubled to right field to drive in Jiron and Pollock.
The Dolphins evened the score at two in the fifth on two hits and a Buffalo error. Sophomore designated hitter Paul Speicher (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) singled to right field with one out and advanced to third on a two-double to left by Marra. Junior center fielder Brett Botsford (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) then reached on an error by the second baseman, allowing Speicher and Marra to score.
Buffalo scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth on three hits. Murphy started the rally with a two-out double to right field. Baldock followed with a single to left on a 3-2 pitch to drive in Murphy.
Senior southpaw Cory Nelson (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) took the loss for the Dolphins after yielding three runs on seven hits over seven and two-thirds innings pitched, while striking out eight. Marra and Speicher led the Dolphins offensively with two hits apiece. Jonathan Fragulia earned the win out of the bullpen for the Bulls by tossing three scoreless innings.
Le Moyne (22-29) closes out the regular with a two-game series at Boston College on Saturday and Sunday. First pitch on Saturday is 4:00 p.m., while the season finale begins at 1:00 p.m.
