Syracuse, N.Y. – Sophomore left fielder Nate Reynolds (Johnson City, N.Y./Maine-Endwell) hit a go-ahead home run in the fifth inning of the first game and junior catcher/first baseman Brian Stinson (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) blasted two home runs in the nightcap to lead the #14/17 Le Moyne College baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of New Haven on Sunday afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division play at Dick Rockwell Field. The Dolphins won the opener, 4-2, and registered a 6-0 victory in the nightcap.
The Dolphins opened the scoring in the first game with a run on one hit in the first inning. Senior center fielder Brett Botsford (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) led off the frame with a double to left center. After moving to third on a wild pitch, Botsford scored on a ground out by senior third baseman Matt Marra (Brewerton, N.Y./Central Square).
New Haven (15-13-1, 7-9-1 NE-10, 3-5-1 SW) took the lead in the top of the second with two runs on three hits. Third baseman Brendon Buckley led off with a single through the right side and then stole second with one out. Designated hitter Zach Collett then blasted a home run to right center.
Le Moyne evened the score at two apiece in the bottom of the inning. Stinson led off with a double to center and advanced to third on a ground out. Junior designated hitter Kody O'Connor (Mexico, N.Y./Mexico) followed with a single to left center to knock in Stinson.
After two scoreless innings, Reynolds gave the Dolphins a 3-2 lead with a one-out, solo home run to left field on a 3-1 pitch.
Marra increased his team's lead to two with a solo home run to right center with one out in the eighth inning.
Senior southpaw Mark Kuzma (Waverly, N.Y./Waverly) earned his third win of the season after striking out eight batters over eight innings on the mound, while yielding two runs on five hits. Junior right-hander Kevin Carroll (Jamesville, N.Y./Fabius-Pompey) picked up his fifth save of the year after tossing a hitless ninth inning. Mike Aquilino suffered the loss after giving up three runs on six hits over seven innings of work.
In the nightcap, the Dolphins struck for three runs on three hits in the first inning. Junior right fielder Zack Wiley (Toluca Woods, Calif./Crespi) singled down the left field line with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch. Marra then doubled to right center to knock in Wiley. Two batters later, Stinson homered to right center to knock New Haven starter Pat Simone out of the game.
Le Moyne added a pair of runs on four hits in the third inning. Junior shortstop Ryan Mahoney (Clay, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) hit a ground-rule double to center field with two outs. Stinson then launched his seventh home run of the season, the second-most in the conference.
The Dolphins capped the day's scoring with a run on one hit in the seventh inning. After reaching on a fielder's choice and moving to second on a wild pitch, Botsford scored on a one-out single to center field by Wiley.
Senior righty Ed Kohout (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence) recorded his fifth victory of the year after striking out seven batters over eight innings pitched, while scattering four hits. Marra, who struck out two batters after taking the mound in the ninth inning, tallied three of Le Moyne's 11 hits, while Stinson and Wiley each had two hits. Simone dropped to 2-2 on the year after giving up three runs on three hits over two-thirds of an inning.
Le Moyne (27-8-1, 12-4-1 NE-10, 7-2 SW), which has allowed just 12 runs in its nine home games, returns to action on Tuesday at The College of Saint Rose at 3:30 p.m. The winner of the contest will win the series and the baseball point in the year-long "Upstate Challenge" between the two institutions.
