Manchester, N.H. – Junior shortstop Ryan Mahoney (Clay, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) had three hits and drove in four runs and senior pitcher Ed Kohout (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence/Genesee C.C.) tossed five no-hit innings to lead the #16 nationally-ranked Le Moyne College baseball team to a 17-4 win over sixth-seeded Dowling on Friday afternoon in the fourth game of the NCAA East Regional at Southern New Hampshire University's Penmen Field.
Le Moyne (41-14-1), the second seed in the regional, continues play on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. in an elimination game. The Dolphins will play either Saint Anselm (if the Hawks beat Southern New Hampshire at 3:00 p.m.) or the loser of the 7:00 p.m. contest between Wilmington and Franklin Pierce.
The Dolphins opened the game with six runs on five hits in the top of the first inning. Senior center fielder Brett Botsford (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) led off the contest with a single up the middle on the ninth pitch of the at-bat and advanced to second on a walk by junior right fielder Zack Wiley (Toluca Woods, Calif./Crespi). Following an out and a wild pitch, Mahoney singled to left center to drive in Botsford and Wiley. After a single through the left side by sophomore left fielder Pat Wiese (Fayetteville, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) and an out, redshirt junior designated hitter Matthew Ciraco (White Plains, N.Y./Perkiomen School) singled up the middle to plate Mahoney. Following a walk by senior catcher Kyle Kalaka (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) that loaded the bases and a Dowling pitching change, junior second baseman Vincent Redmond (Ithaca, N.Y./Lansing/Garrett College) singled to right field to knock in Wiese and Ciraco. Kalaka then scored the sixth run of the inning on a wild pitch.
Le Moyne exploded for nine runs in the fourth inning to extend its lead to 15-0. Wiley singled through the left side, senior third baseman Matt Marra (Brewerton, N.Y./Central Square) and Mahoney singled to the left side of the infield to load the bases. Wiese then walked on four pitches to force in Wiley, while Marra scored as junior first baseman Paul Speicher (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) drew a six-pitch walk. Following a Dowling pitching change, Mahoney raced home on a wild pitch. Ciraco then singled to left field to drive in Wiese and Speicher. After a fly out and Redmond getting hit with a pitch, Botsford singled to right field to knock in Ciraco. Wiley then singled through the left side for the second time in the frame to load the bases again. Marra followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Redmond. Mahoney then doubled to left field to plate Botsford and Wiley with the final runs of the inning.
The Dolphins added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to complete their scoring in the game. In the fifth, Speicher singled to right field to open the frame, moved to third on a double to right center by Ciraco and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Kalaka. In the sixth, Marra singled with one out, took second on a two-out single to right by Wiese and scored on a single by Speicher.
Dowling got on the scoreboard in the eighth inning with two runs without getting a hit. After the Golden Lions loaded the bases on consecutive walks by center fielder Rob Veltre, designated hitter Joe Candela and left fielder Sean Craig, first baseman JC Brandmaier drove in Veltre by grounding out back to the pitcher. Third baseman Ian Schneider then lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Candela.
The Golden Lions finished off the game's scoring with two runs on two hits in the bottom of the ninth inning. Pinch-hitter Lucas Fusco led off with a single to center field and advanced to second on a one-out walk by Veltre, his third of the game. After a strike out, Craig doubled down the left field line to drive in Fusco and Veltre.
Kohout earned his fifth straight victory to improve to 9-1 as a starter after not allowing a hit over five innings of work, while striking out four batters. Senior southpaw Mike Anarumo (Levittown, N.Y./MacArthur) earned his first save of the season after tossing the final four innings, while recording five strikeouts. Adam Brown took the loss after giving up six runs on four hits in just two-thirds of an inning on the mound.
