Syracuse, N.Y. – Redshirt junior first baseman Andrew Taft (Clinton, N.Y./Clinton/Buffalo) hit his program record-tying 14th home run of the season as the #15/30 Le Moyne College baseball team hit five home runs en route to an 11-0 rain-shortened victory over American International College on Friday afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division action at Dick Rockwell Field.

The Dolphins scored the only run they would need on the first pitch of the second inning as redshirt junior shortstop Ben Walsh (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) homered to right center.

Le Moyne scored five times in the bottom of the third on four hits. Senior right fielder Brian Cox (North Kingstown, R.I./North Kingstown) was hit by a pitch and Taft walked to start the frame. Junior designated hitter Nick Place (Towanda, Pa./Towanda) followed with a single to center to drive in Cox. Walsh then blasted another home run over the fence in right center, his ninth round-tripper of the campaign. Following a pair of outs, sophomore third baseman Nicholas Jacques (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Shenendehowa) singled to center and came around to score on a triple down the right field line by redshirt freshman second baseman Brian O'Mara (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill).

The Dolphins used the long ball to add a pair of runs in the fourth. Taft led off with a home run over the scoreboard in left center on a 2-1 pitch. Taft is the sixth player in the program's history to hit 14 home runs in a season and the first to do so since Chris Edmondson '10 in 2008. Two pitches later, Place homered to left center for his fifth blast of the year.

Le Moyne plated one run in the bottom of the fifth. O'Mara waked with one out, stole second and came around to score on a single down the left field line by senior center fielder Timothy Corapi (Liverpool, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy).

The Dolphins scored once in the sixth without getting a hit. Walsh and junior catcher Camillo Spinoso (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy/George Washington) walked to start the frame and then sophomore left fielder Justin Tuey (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) reached on a fielding error by the second baseman to load the bases and force a pitching change. Jacques then walked to force in Walsh with the game's 10th run.

Le Moyne added a run in the bottom of the eighth before the game was called with one out due to heavy rain. Freshman pinch-hitter Michael Smith (Montebello, N.Y./Suffern) smacked his first career home run over the fence in right center with one out.

Senior righty Alex Kubera (Dunkirk, N.Y./Dunkirk/Niagara C.C.), who made his first start since March 4, earned his fourth win of the season after striking out a career high-tying 11 batters over seven innings, while yielding just five hits. Place and Walsh had two hits, while Place scored twice and drove in two and Walsh scored three times and drove in four. Nick Kennedy took the loss for the Yellow Jackets after allowing six runs and six hits over two and two-thirds innings, while recording four of his eight outs via strikeout.
 
Le Moyne (31-12-1, 16-5-1 NE10, 12-4 SW), which improves to 8-2 at home against the Yellow Jackets, closes out the regular season on Saturday with a doubleheader against AIC at 12:00 p.m. The Dolphin Athletic Association will honor the nine-member senior class (Cox, JT Pittman, Walsh, Kubera, Matt Buroni, Zach Hughes, Timothy Corapi, Max Tessitore and Cody Barnes) at 11:40 a.m.