Garden City, N.Y. – Senior center fielder Brett Botsford (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) went 5-for-8 with three runs scored and two runs batted in to lead the 19th-ranked Le Moyne College baseball team to a split of a doubleheader with Adelphi on Sunday afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division action at Bonomo Field. The Panthers won the opener, 3-2, while the Dolphins registered an 8-2 victory in the nightcap.

The Panthers started the scoring in the opener in the first inning as first baseman Anthony Zarrella blasted a two-out home run.

Adelphi added to its lead with two runs on three hits in the fourth inning. Third baseman Richard Mejia singled through the right side with one out and moved to second as center fielder Justin Farnum singled to the left side of the infield. Following a line out, catcher Rich Cambria doubled down the left field line to drive in Mejia and Farnum.

The Dolphins got on the scoreboard in the fifth inning with a run on two hits. Botsford singled to left field with one out and advanced to second as junior right fielder Zack Wiley (Toluca Woods, Calif./Crespi) drew a walk. Following an out, junior shortstop Ryan Mahoney (Clay, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) singled up the middle to plate Botsford.

Le Moyne pulled within a run in the eighth inning on one hit, but left the tying run stranded at third base. Sophomore left fielder Pat Wiese (Fayetteville, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) singled through the right side with one out and moved to second as junior first baseman Paul Speicher (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) was hit by a pitch. After an Adelphi pitching change and a wild pitch that allowed Wiese and Speicher to move up a base, junior second baseman Vincent Redmond (Ithaca, N.Y./Lansing/Garrett College) drove in Wiese with a ground out. Adelphi pitcher James McCormick then induced a fly out to left to end the inning with Speicher left at third.

Senior southpaw Mark Kuzma (Waverly, N.Y./Waverly) suffered his first loss of the season after yielding three runs on six hits over six innings of work, while striking out six batters. Botsford and Wiese each recorded two hits in the setback. Dillon McNamara earned the win for the Panthers after limiting the Dolphins to one run over six innings. Matt Abramotwitz picked up his third save of the year by retiring all three batters he faced in the ninth inning.

In the nightcap, the Dolphins struck for four runs in the first two innings. In the first, the Dolphins loaded the bases as Botsford singled up the middle to open the frame, Wiley was hit by a pitch and senior third baseman Matt Marra (Brewerton, N.Y./Central Square) drew a walk on four pitches. Mahoney following by lifting a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Botsford.

In the second inning, the Dolphins added three runs on three hits. Speicher led off with a double down the left field line and following an out Redmond was hit by a pitch. Botsford then tripled to right center to knock in Speicher and Redmond. Wiley followed with a single up the middle to drive in Botsford.

Adelphi cut its deficit in half with two runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth inning. Cambria and shortstop Lucas Romeo posted back-to-back singles through the left side to open the frame. Following an out, second baseman Craig Matteo singled through the left side to load the bases. Farnum then doubled to right field to plate Cambria and Romeo.

Le Moyne pushed its lead to 5-2 in the seventh with a run on one hit. Marra led off with a single through the left side and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mahoney. After moving to third on a ground out, Marra scored on a wild pitch.

The Dolphins tallied three runs on three hits in the ninth inning to complete the game's scoring. Wiley singled to the left side of the infield to start the frame and moved to third on a single by Marra, who advanced to second on the play. Following an Adelphi pitching change and an out, senior designated hitter Matthew Ciraco (White Plains, N.Y./Perkiomen School) tripled to right center to score Wiley and Marra. Ciraco then raced home on a wild pitch.

Senior right-hander Ed Kohout (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence/Genesee C.C.) recorded his fourth win of the season after tossing seven and one-third innings, while allowing two runs and striking out five batters. Junior Kevin Carroll (Jamesville, N.Y./Fabius-Pompey) earned his third save by retiring all five batters he faced, including three by strikeout. Botsford posted three hits in the game, while Wiley, Marra and Ciraco each had two. Jeff Anderson took the loss for the Panthers after giving up four runs on four hits over two innings pitched.

Le Moyne (20-5-1, 6-1-1 NE-10, 3-1 SW), which had its 14-game unbeaten streak snapped with the game one loss, returns to action on Tuesday at The College of Saint Rose at 3:30 p.m.