Hooksett, N.H. – Third baseman Tom Blandini had two hits and scored twice to lead #NR/19 Southern New Hampshire University to an 8-5 win over the #20/NR Le Moyne College baseball team in an elimination game on the second day of Northeast-10 Conference Championship Weekend at SNHU's Penmen Field.

With the loss, the Dolphins are eliminated from the NE10 Championship and now wait to find out their seed in the NCAA Championships. The field, including the seven-team East Regional, will be announced on NCAA.com on Sunday at 10:00 p.m. The Dolphins have been ranked first in each of the three releases of the NCAA East Region rankings. With the victory, the Penmen advance to the loser's bracket final later this evening against the loser of the winner's bracket matchup between the University of New Haven and Merrimack College.
 
The Penmen got the game's scoring started with a pair of runs on one hit and one error in the top of the third inning. Blandini and center fielder Thomas Buonopane drew back-to-back four-pitch walks to start the frame and then first baseman Ryan Sullivan reached on a fielding error by the pitcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt to load the bases. Catcher Dakota Mulcay then lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Blandini. Right fielder Caleb Potter followed with a double to right center to plate Buonopane.

Le Moyne evened the score at two apiece in the bottom of the third. After senior right fielder Brian Cox (North Kingstown, R.I./North Kingstown) walked on four pitches with two outs, redshirt junior first baseman Andrew Taft (Clinton, N.Y./Clinton/Buffalo) smacked a 2-1 pitch over the fence in center for his East Region-leading 17th home run.

Southern New Hampshire regained the lead in the top of the fourth with a run on one hit. Second baseman Joshua Goldstein walked with one out, moved to second on a single to center by Blandini and advanced to third on a walk by Buonopane. Sullivan then walked on six pitches to force in Goldstein.

After the Dolphins left the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth, the Penmen extended their lead to 7-2 with four runs on five hits and one error in the top of the fifth. Pinch-hitter Sam Henrie singled to left center with one out and moved to third on a two-out single to shallow center by shortstop Kyle Pangallo. After Pangallo stole second, Goldstein singled to the hole at shortstop on the ninth pitch of the at-bat to drive in Henrie. Blandini greeted a new Le Moyne pitcher with a single to center to plate Pangallo. Buonopane followed with a single through the left side to knock in Goldstein and Blandini.

The Dolphins got three of the runs back in the bottom of the fifth. Junior designated hitter Nick Place (Towanda, Pa./Towanda) singled to center with two outs and moved to second on a single to left center by redshirt junior shortstop Ben Walsh (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill). Junior catcher Camillo Spinoso (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy/George Washington) then blasted his fourth home run of the season over the fence in left field to get the Dolphins within 7-5.

Le Moyne loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but the next batter struck out on three pitches without swinging the bat to end the threat.

Southern New Hampshire completed the game's scoring with a solo home run to left center by Potter with one out in the top of the ninth inning.

Junior Sam Walsh (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) suffered his second straight loss after allowing six runs on six hits and seven walks over four and two-thirds innings, while striking out six. Shane McDonald earned the win for the Penmen after striking out eight over  five and two-thirds innings, while yielding five runs on five hits.