Syracuse, N.Y. – Senior third baseman/center fielder Zack Wiley (Toluca Woods, Calif./Crespi) drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning to lead the Le Moyne College baseball team to a 6-5 win over Assumption College in the first game of a Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division doubleheader on Friday afternoon at Dick Rockwell Field. In the nightcap, the Dolphins recorded a 16-5 win over the Greyhounds.
In the opener, the Greyhounds struck first with a run in the second inning. With two outs, right fielder Billy Johnson blasted a solo home run to right field.
The Dolphins took the lead in the bottom of the inning with two runs. After graduate student shortstop Ryan Mahoney (Clay, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) led off with a single to left and then stole second base, senior right fielder Kody O'Connor (Mexico, N.Y./Mexico) blasted a home run to left field.
Graduate student designated hitter Matthew Ciraco (White Plains, N.Y./Perkiomen School) gave the Dolphins a 3-1 advantage with a lead-off home run to left field in the third inning.
The Greyhounds scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the score at three apiece. In the fifth, designated hitter Ben Benigno walked to open the frame, took second on single by Johnson and scored on a two-out single by center fielder Bret Clark. In the sixth inning, third baseman Travis Smith led off with a singled up the middle and moved to third on back-to-back groundouts. Benigno then singled down the left field line to plate Smith.
Le Moyne regained the lead with two runs on three hits and an Assumption error in the seventh inning. Freshman first baseman Pat Wright (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) opened the frame with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and took third on a single to right center by junior left fielder/right fielder Nate Reynolds (Johnson City, N.Y./Maine-Endwell). After an Assumption pitching change and a strikeout, Wright scored as the catcher threw the ball into left field on a pickoff attempt. Ciraco then singled through the left side to drive in Reynolds.
Assumption rallied for two runs on three hits and a Le Moyne error in the top of the ninth to tie the score at five. Johnson drew a walk with one out and moved to second on a single to right by catcher Tomas Paine. After a fly out and a single by Clark to load the bases, shortstop Shane Keddy singled up the middle to knock in Johnson, while Paine scored as the center fielder bobbled the ball.
After junior center fielder Pat Wiese (Fayetteville, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) robbed Keddy of a home run to lead off the 12th inning, the Dolphins scored the winning run in the bottom of the 12th frame. Senior catcher Brian Stinson (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) led off with a double to left center and was replaced at second base by freshman pinch-runner Trey West (Fairport, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit). After Reynolds reached second on a throwing error by the third baseman and graduate student second baseman Vincent Redmond (Ithaca, N.Y./Lansing/Garrett College) was walked to load the bases, Wiley lifted a sacrifice fly to shallow center with one out to drive in West with the winning run.
Sophomore reliever Zach Place (Towanda, Pa./Towanda/Susquehanna) earned his fourth victory after tossing three and one-third scoreless innings out of the bullpen, while striking out three. Ciraco, Mahoney, Wright and Redmond each had two of Le Moyne's 12 hits. Dan Bradley took the loss after giving up an unearned run over five and one-third innings.
In the nightcap, the Dolphins tallied three runs on two hits and one Assumption error in the bottom of the first inning. Ciraco drew a walk on five pitches to open the inning and raced around to third on a throwing error by the catcher on a pickoff attempt with one out. Wiese then singled to right field to knock in Ciraco. After Mahoney walked and he and Wiese stole the base in front of them, West doubled to left field to plate Wiese and Mahoney.
Assumption started to chip away at its deficit in the second inning with a run on one hit and a Le Moyne error. Napoli singled down the left field line on the first pitch of the inning and then took second as first baseman Greg O'Donnell reached on a fielding error by the third baseman. Following a walk by designated hitter Michael Filice to load the bases, Paine grounded out to drive in Napoli.
In the third, the Greyhounds added a run on one hit and one Le Moyne error. Keddy singled to open the inning and advanced to third on a throwing error by the shortstop as Smith reached on a fielder's choice. Johnson then grounded out to knock in Keddy.
Assumption tied the score in the top of the fourth on two hits and a Le Moyne error. After singles by second baseman Michael Panza and Clark to load the bases with one out, Keddy walked on seven pitches to force in Paine, who reached on a fielder's choice.
The Dolphins regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth with nine runs on six hits and one Assumption error. West walked, freshman third baseman/shortstop Dylan Swetman (Honeoye Falls, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima) singled to right field and Reynolds singled back to the pitcher to load the bases to start the frame. Senior first baseman Paul Speicher (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) then singled to left to knock in West and Swetman. After freshman second baseman Brett Charbonneau (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) was hit by a pitch to load the bases again and force a pitching change, Ciraco was hit by a pitch to force in Reynolds. Wiley then cleared the bases with a double to left field, while taking third on a throwing error by the left fielder and then scoring on a double to left field by Wiese. After a fly out, West launched his first career home run over the fence in left center.
Le Moyne added two runs on one hit and one Assumption error in the bottom of the fifth. After Wiley walked with two outs and Wiese reached on an error by the second baseman, Mahoney doubled down the left field line to knock in Wiley and Wiese.
Assumption got the two runs back in the top of the sixth on three hits. After Filice and Paine singled to start the inning, Clark lifted a sacrifice fly to left field with one out to plate Filice. Keddy then singled to left field to drive in Paine.
The Dolphins completed the game's scoring with two runs on two hits and one Assumption error in the bottom of the seventh inning. After Wiese doubled to left center with one out and sophomore third baseman Max Nagelsmith (Duanesburg, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy of Albany) was hit by a pitch, West singled up the middle to score Wiese. After a fly out, Reynolds reached on a throwing error by the second baseman, which allowed Nagelsmith to cross the plate.
Senior righty Kevin Carroll (Jamesville, N.Y./Fabius-Pompey) earned his fourth win of the season after striking out two batters over six innings, while yielding five runs (three earned) on seven hits. Sophomore John Mildner (Newton, Mass./Catholic Memorial/UMass) earned his first collegiate save by tossing three scoreless innings, while striking out two. Wiese led Le Moyne's 14-hit output with four hits, while scoring four runs. West added season-highs of three hits and five runs batted in, while Wiley and Swetman each had two hits. Cody Rocha took the loss for the Greyhounds after giving up eight runs on five hits over three-plus innings.
Le Moyne (22-22, 15-11 NE-10, 13-7 SW) closes out the regular season on Saturday against the Greyhounds at 4:00 p.m. Prior to the game, the senior class of Wiley, O'Connor, Mahoney, Speicher, Ciraco, Casey Cannon (Manasquan, N.J./Saint Rose/Delaware), Redmond, Carroll and Stinson will be honored by the Dolphin Athletic Association for their contributions to the program. Entering the final game of the conference schedule, the Dolphins sit one-half game behind Pace and New Haven for first place in the Southwest Division. Pace (at Southern Connecticut State) and New Haven (vs. Adelphi) each have two games on Saturday to finish out the season. Based on Saturday's results, the Dolphins can finish first, second or third in the division.
