Philadelphia, Pa. – Redshirt junior shortstop Ben Walsh (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Le Moyne College baseball team to an 8-3 win over Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) in the second game of a doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon at Alumni Field. The Rams took the opening game, 7-5.
 
Le Moyne opened the scoring in the first game as redshirt junior first baseman Andrew Taft (Clinton, N.Y./Clinton/Buffalo) homered for the sixth time in five games with one out in the first inning.

Jefferson took the lead with three runs on just two hits in the second inning. Left fielder Michael Taffe singled to left to open the inning and then stole second. Second baseman Chase Fike, third baseman Andres Valbuena and center fielder Zack Agan then drew consecutive walks to force in Taffe with the first run. First baseman/pitcher Brandon Quaranta then grounded into a double play, which knocked in Fike. Shortstop Chris Smith followed with a double to left to plate Valbuena from third.

The Dolphins evened the score at three apiece in the third inning. After senior center fielder JT Pittman (Ashland, Mass./Ashland/Bridgton Academy) singled down the right field line with two outs, Walsh blasted a homer to left field.

The Rams regained the lead in the bottom of the third with four runs on five hits. After catcher Matt McGee doubled to left to open the frame, designated hitter Austin Torres launched a homer to left center to make it 5-3 and force a Le Moyne pitching change. Following an out, Fike and Valbuena recorded singles. Fike then scored on a sacrifice bunt by Agan. Quaranta followed with a single to knock in Valbuena.

Le Moyne cut its deficit in half in the fifth inning. With Taft on second following a one-out walk and a groundout, Pittman homered to right center to get the Dolphins within 7-5.

Redshirt junior Max Tessitore (Averill Park, N.Y./Averill Park) suffered the loss after allowing five runs in two-plus innings on the mound. Jonathan Gottschall earned the win after tossing four and two-thirds innings, while striking out two and yielding five runs. Quaranta pitched the seventh to earn his second save of the season.

The Dolphins scored first again in the nightcap with three runs. With the bases loaded and zero outs following singles by senior right fielder Brian Cox (North Kingstown, R.I./North Kingstown) and Taft and a walk by junior designated hitter Nick Place (Towanda, Pa./Towanda), Pittman reached on a fielder's choice and knocked in Cox. Walsh then doubled to plate Taft and Pittman.

Le Moyne scored two more runs in the top of the second. Redshirt junior catcher Matt Buroni (Marlborough, Mass./Marlborough) led off the frame with his first career home run. After the Dolphins loaded the bases with two outs, sophomore left fielder Justin Tuey (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) singled to drive in Place, who reached on a fielder's choice.

The Dolphins extended their lead to 7-0 with two runs in the third inning. Following a one-out walk by Buroni and a double by Cox, Taft doubled to knock in Buroni and Cox.

Jefferson broke through with three runs on two hits in the bottom of the third. Quaranta led off with a triple and scored on a passed ball. After walks by Smith and right fielder Timothy Brodhag, McGee grounded out to the shortstop to plate Smith. Two batters later, Taffe singled to drive in Brodhag.

The Dolphins completed the game's scoring with a run in the fourth inning. Walsh and Tuey opened the frame with back-to-back singles. After an out, freshman second baseman Michael Smith (Montebello, N.Y./Suffern) lifted a sacrifice fly to left to score Walsh.

The Rams loaded the bases without any outs in the bottom of the fourth, but were unable to cut into their deficit.

Senior southpaw Cody Barnes (Norwich, N.Y./Norwich) earned his sixth career victory out of the bullpen by recording the final 12 outs of the game. Cox, Taft, Walsh and Tuey each had two hits and drew a walk, while Cox scored twice and Taft and Walsh each had two RBI. C.J. Kilgarriff suffered the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) over one and two-thirds innings.

Le Moyne (9-5), which is 7-5 against the Rams over the last four seasons, returns to action on Saturday for the start of a three-game series with Millersville. The Dolphins and Marauders will play a single game on Saturday starting at 1:00 p.m. and a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday.