Manchester, N.H. – Junior right-hander Derek Zielinski (Schenectady, N.Y./Colonie) tied his career-high with 12 strikeouts to lead the #16/21 nationally-ranked Le Moyne College baseball team to a 6-2 win over #25/14 Franklin Pierce on Sunday afternoon in the 10th game of the NCAA East Regional at Southern New Hampshire's Penmen Field.
The Dolphins (43-14-1), who defeated the Ravens for the third time in the last eight days, advance to the NCAA East Region championship game against Southern New Hampshire at 3:15 p.m.
Le Moyne opened the scoring in the contest with a run on one hit in the bottom of the third inning. Redshirt junior designated hitter Matthew Ciraco (White Plains, N.Y./Perkiomen School) was hit with the third pitch of the inning and he advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior catcher Kyle Kalaka (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham). Following a single up the middle by junior second baseman Vincent Redmond (Ithaca, N.Y./Lansing/Garrett College), senior center fielder Brett Botsford (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) reached on a fielder's choice to drive in Ciraco from third.
The Dolphins extended their lead to 4-0 with three runs on three hits and a Franklin Pierce error in the fourth inning. Senior third baseman Matt Marra (Brewerton, N.Y./Central Square) led off with a single to right field and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior shortstop Ryan Mahoney (Clay, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse). Sophomore left fielder Pat Wiese (Fayetteville, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) followed with a single to center to plate Marra, while taking second on the throw home. Junior first baseman Paul Speicher (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) was hit by a pitch and Ciraco drew a walk around a Franklin Pierce pitching change to load the bases. Kalaka then singled to the shortstop to knock in Wiese, while Speicher was able to score on a throwing error by the second baseman.
Le Moyne added two runs on three hits and one Franklin Pierce error in the fifth inning to complete its scoring. Junior right fielder Zack Wiley (Toluca Woods, Calif./Crespi) led off the frame with a single to left field and advanced to second on an error by the left fielder. Two batters later, Mahoney singled to center to push Wiley to third and force the third Franklin Pierce pitching change of the contest. After Mahoney stole second and a fly out, Speicher singled to left field to drive in Wiley and Mahoney.
Franklin Pierce got on the scoreboard with a run on two hits in the top of the sixth inning. Following consecutive strikeouts to start the frame, third baseman R.J. Going singled to center and took second on a wild pitch. Center fielder James Roche then doubled to left field to drive in Going.
The Ravens added a run on two hits in the seventh for the game's final run. Right fielder Nick LaCroix and catcher Matt Walsh opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Following a sacrifice bunt moved each runner up a base, shortstop Anthony Peguero lifted a sacrifice fly to center to knock in LaCroix.
Zielinski, who previously struck out 12 batters in a win over Glenville State on February 25, yielded just two runs, while scattering six hits, in his third complete game of the season to earn his ninth victory. Ryan Leach took the loss after giving up four runs (three earned) on three hits over three and one-third innings.
