Danvers, Mass. – Freshman righty Ryan Murphy (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) tossed an eight-hit shutout to lead the 20th-ranked Le Moyne College baseball team to a 9-0 victory over Merrimack College in the first game of a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Saint John's Prep. Merrimack ended Le Moyne's nine-game unbeaten streak with a 3-1 win in the nightcap.

The Dolphins scored the only run they would need in the opener on two hits in the third inning. Senior center fielder Timothy Corapi (Liverpool, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) and senior right fielder Brian Cox (North Kingstown, R.I./North Kingstown) recorded back-to-back singles to left before redshirt junior first baseman Andrew Taft (Clinton, N.Y./Clinton/Buffalo) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Junior designated hitter Nick Place (Towanda, Pa./Towanda) then lifted a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Corapi.

Le Moyne scored four times on two hits in the seventh. Corapi led off with a single to center, took second on a ground ball and moved to third on a walk by Taft to load the bases. After a pop out, Corapi raced home on a passed ball. Redshirt junior shortstop Ben Walsh (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) then hit a three-run inside-the-park home run to left field. The home run extended Walsh's streak of consecutive games with a hit to 18.

The Dolphins added a run in the eighth on three hits. Redshirt freshman second baseman Brian O'Mara (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) singled through the right side to open the frame, moved to second on a single to center by Corapi and took third on a sacrifice bunt by Cox. After Taft was walked on four pitches to load the bases, Place singled to center to drive in O'Mara.

Le Moyne completed the game's scoring with three runs on just one hit in the ninth. Senior left fielder JT Pittman (Ashland, Mass./Ashland/Bridgton Academy) and sophomore third baseman Nicholas Jacques (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Shenendehowa) drew consecutive walks to start the frame. After a fly out and a double steal, Corapi walked to load the bases and then Cox walked to force in Pittman. Two batters later, Place doubled down the right field line to knock in Jacques and Corapi.

Murphy collected his first career shutout and second career complete game after striking out five over his nine innings, while he faced just six batters over the minimum as he induced a pair of double plays. Corapi finished the game with three hits and three runs scored, while Cox, Place and Spinoso had two hits each. PJ Browne took the loss after giving up one run over six innings.

In the nightcap, Merrimack struck first with a run in the first inning on two hits. Center fielder Tyler Lyne singled to left with one out and designated hitter Matthew Ronai followed with a double down the right field line. Right fielder Matt Nicholson then grounded out to second to drive in Lyne.

The Warriors doubled their lead in the third. Shortstop Nick Shumski led off with a double down the right field line, moved to third on a fly out and scored on a sac fly to left by Lyne.

Le Moyne cut its deficit in half in the seventh, but the Warriors induced an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded. Walsh reached on an error by the second baseman with one out, advanced to second on a single to center by Spinoso and came around to score on a single to the right side by Pittman.

Merrimack tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Lyne led off with a single to right center and advanced to third on a single to left by Ronai. After a pitching change and a hit batter, left fielder Mike Hoalcraft lifted a sacrifice fly to left to plate Lyne.

Freshman southpaw Joe Vail (Cromwell, Conn./Xavier) suffered his first career loss after yielding two runs on four hits over five and one-third innings. Pittman, O'Mara and freshman catcher Drew Fureno (Canajoharie, N.Y./Fort Plain) each recorded a pair of hits in the contest. Anthony Lupi earned the victory after going the distance on the mound, while giving up just one run and striking out two.

Le Moyne (22-7-1, 8-1-1 NE10) returns to action on Wednesday at Kutztown University for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.