Millersville, Pa. – Junior righty
Josiah Gray (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) struck out 10 over seven innings and the offense erupted for 12 runs in the ninth inning as the Le Moyne College baseball team recorded an 18-2 win over Millersville University on Saturday afternoon at Cooper Park.
The Dolphins opened the game's scoring with two runs in the first inning on three hits. Senior right fielder
Brian Cox (North Kingstown, R.I./North Kingstown) led off with a single to the shortstop, advanced to second on a wild pitch and took third on a groundout. Following a pop out, senior center fielder/left fielder
JT Pittman (Ashland, Mass./Ashland/Bridgton Academy) singled to right field to drive in his classmate. After moving to third on a single to left by redshirt junior shortstop
Ben Walsh (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill), Pittman scored on a wild pitch.
Millersville got one run back in the bottom of the inning on two hits. Center fielder Cole Friese led off with a double to center and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Following a walk, left fielder Manning Brookens singled through the right side to drive in Friese.
Le Moyne pushed its lead back to two in the fourth without getting a hit. Walsh drew a walk to open the frame, but was retired at third as sophomore left fielder
Justin Tuey (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) reached on an error. After moving to second on a groundout, Tuey scored as sophomore third baseman
Nicholas Jacques (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Shenendehowa) reached on a throwing error by the shortstop.
The Dolphins extended their lead to 6-1 with three runs on two hits in the seventh. Jacques singled through the right side to open the inning and stole second with one out. After Cox walked, the duo moved up a base on a passed ball. Following an intentional walk to redshirt junior first baseman
Andrew Taft (Clinton, N.Y./Clinton/Buffalo) to load the bases, Jacques scored on a wild pitch. After junior designated hitter
Nick Place (Towanda, Pa./Towanda) walked on four pitches to load the bases again and a pitching change, Pittman walked on four pitches to force in Cox. Walsh then singled to right field to drive in Taft.
The Marauders got within 6-2 with a run on two hits in the bottom of the seventh. Third baseman Kaylor Kulina singled up the middle with two outs, stole second and scored on a double down the left field line by Friese.
Le Moyne blew the game open with 12 runs on seven hits and one Millersville error in the ninth inning. Cox led off with a single and stole second before Taft reached on a throwing error by the first baseman. After Place walked to load the bases, Pittman was hit by a pitch to force in Cox. Walsh then walked to force in Taft, while Place scored as Tuey was hit by a pitch. Redshirt freshman second baseman
Brian O'Mara (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) followed with a single to left to drive in Pittman and Walsh. After Jacques singled to load the bases, freshman catcher
Drew Fureno (Canajoharie, N.Y./Fort Plain) singled to drive in Tuey, while Cox followed with a single to knock in O'Mara. Taft then walked to force in Jacques. Following the inning's first out, Pittman walked to force home Fureno. Walsh then singled through the left side to knock in Cox. Senior pinch-hitter
Timothy Corapi (Liverpool, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) then singled to left to plate Taft and Pittman with the game's final runs.
Gray won his third straight start after posting his second consecutive 10-strikeout performance, while yielding two runs on eight hits over seven-plus innings. Cox finished the game with three hits and four runs scored, while Walsh had three hits and three RBI. O'Mara and Jacques also posted multi-hit performances, while O'Mara drove in two and Jacques scored twice. Eli Nabholz took the loss after giving up four runs (one earned) on seven hits over six and one-third innings.
Le Moyne (10-5), which beat Millersville for the first time in six contests as Division II foes (2014-present) and for the first time overall since 1987, takes on the Marauders in a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 12:00 p.m.
