New Haven, Conn. - Freshman center fielder Donato DiNorcia (Naples, Fla./Seacrest Country Day) doubled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning as the Le Moyne College baseball team defeated Southern Connecticut State University, 4-3, in the first game of a Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division doubleheader on Monday afternoon at The Ballpark at SCSU. The Owls took the nightcap, 2-0.
Southern Connecticut State got on the scoreboard first in the opener with one run on two hits in the first inning. Center fielder Nick Burns and second baseman Nick Baviello opened the frame with consecutive singles and then moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt. Following a strikeout, Burns raced home on a wild pitch.
The Dolphins took their first lead of the game in the top of the second with two runs on two hits. Sophomore first baseman/third baseman Pat Wright (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) drew a walk to start the inning and then advanced to third on a double by sophomore catcher/first baseman Trey West (Fairport, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit). After Wright scored on a wild pitch, West scored on a single by senior left fielder Nate Reynolds (Johnson City, N.Y./Maine-Endwell).
The Owls evened the score in the bottom of the fourth with one run on two hits. Right fielder Alex Wichmann led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and then came around to score on a double by Burns.
Le Moyne took the lead for good with two runs on three hits in the sixth inning. Following back-to-back two-out singles by West and Reynolds, DiNorcia doubled to plate the duo.
Southern Connecticut scored once in the bottom of the sixth, but left two runners stranded. Wichmann led off with a triple and then Burns was hit by a pitch and stole second with one out. After Wichmann was thrown out at home as Baviello reached on a fielder's choice, third baseman T.K. Kiernan singled to drive in Burns from third.
Junior John Mildner (Newton, Mass./Catholic Memorial/UMass) earned the win out of the bullpen after striking out two batters over three innings, while yielding one run on two hits. Junior righty Conor Nolan (Syracuse, N.Y./Corcoran) picked up his first save of the season by tossing two scoreless innings. West had three of Le Moyne's 11 hits, while sophomore second baseman/shortstop Brett Charbonneau (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker), sophomore shortstop/pitcher Dylan Swetman (Honeoye Falls, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima) and Reynolds each had two hits. A.J. Turnier suffered the loss for the Owls after giving up four runs on nine hits over six and one-third innings pitched, while striking out five.
The Owls scored the only run they would need in the nightcap in the bottom of the second inning on three hits. After first baseman Julian Sobin and catcher T.J. Shea singled around an out, left fielder Brandon Docimo singled to drive in Sobin from second.
Southern Connecticut added one run on one hit in the bottom of the third. Shortstop Ethan Joyce led off with a walk, moved to second on a sac bunt, took third on a groundout and then scored on a single by Kiernan.
Junior southpaw Bobby Renaud (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse/Onondaga C.C.) took the loss after yielding two runs on seven hits over five innings in his first start as a Dolphin. Swetman kept the Dolphins in the game by tossing three scoreless innings, which included three strikeouts. Wright and Reynolds each had two of Le Moyne's six hits. Rocco Cundari struck out eight in his six-hit shutout to earn his fourth win of the year.
Le Moyne (14-19, 8-6 NE-10, 5-5 SW), which closed out its road and neutral site schedule with a 12-18 record, returns home to face the University of New Haven on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. for the start of an eight-game homestand.
