Philadelphia, Pa. – Redshirt senior first baseman Andrew Taft (Clinton, N.Y./Clinton/Buffalo) hit four home runs to lead the Le Moyne College baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Jefferson on Wednesday afternoon at Alumni Field. The Dolphins held on for a 10-7 win in the opener and cruised to a 20-4 victory in the nightcap.

Taft is the first Dolphin over the last 17 seasons to homer four times in a doubleheader, while his three home runs in the second game of the day are tied with Steven Suarez '04 (against Virginia Tech on March 16, 2002) and Corey O'Neill '08 (against Rider on May 11, 2008) for the most home runs in a single game over the last 18 years.

Jefferson got the day's scoring started with a run on two hits in the first inning. Shortstop Arturo Figueroa led off the frame with a single through the right side, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and came around to score on a single up the middle by right fielder Timothy Brodhag.

The Dolphins answered with five runs on five hits in the second inning. Taft led off with his second home run of the season to left field. Freshman shortstop Nick Nevins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) followed with a double to right field and took third on a single to left center by senior designated hitter Nick Place (Towanda, Pa./Towanda). Junior third baseman/right fielder Nicholas Jacques (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Shenendehowa) followed with a double to left center to knock in Nevins and Place. Junior center fielder Justin Tuey (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) then lifted a sacrifice fly to center to knock in Jacques. Following another out, redshirt sophomore second baseman Brian O'Mara (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) launched a home run to left field.

Le Moyne extended its lead to 6-1 in the top of the fourth. After reaching on a fielder's choice, Jacques moved to second on a groundout and came around to score on a single up the middle by senior right fielder/left fielder David DiNorcia (Naples, Fla./Seacrest Country Day).

The Dolphins added four runs on four hits in the sixth inning. Place led off with a double to right and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After walks by Jacques and DiNorcia to load the bases around an out, O'Mara singled to center to drive in Place. Sophomore left fielder Michael Smith (Montebello, N.Y./Suffern) followed with a single to left to knock in Jacques and DiNorcia. Two batters later, Taft singled through the left side to plate O'Mara.

Jefferson scored five runs in the sixth on two hits and one Le Moyne error. After center fielder Christopher Lorenzo reached on a fielder's choice for the second out of the inning, catcher Efrain Santiago reached on a fielding error and third baseman Chase FIke was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Figueroa then walked to force in Lorenzo. Second baseman Robert Wood followed with a triple to right center to clear the bases. Brodhag singled to left center to drive in Wood with the game's final run.

Freshman John Geer (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) earned his second win of the season after striking out four over four innings, while yielding one run on six hits. Freshman Jacob Maser (Chittenango, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse) retired all three batters he faced to earn his second save of the season. Place finished the game with three hits and two runs, while O'Mara, Taft and Jacques each had two hits and two RBI. Matt Bukavich took the loss after giving up six runs and eight hits over five innings.

The Dolphins scored in each of the first six innings of the nightcap, starting with five runs in the first frame. O'Mara walked to start the game and moved to second on an error. Nevins then singled through the left side to drive in O'Mara. After a walk by senior catcher/third baseman Camillo Spinoso (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse)/George Washington) and a wild pitch, Nevins scored on another wild pitch. Taft then drove in Spinoso on a groundout. Place followed with a double to right center to plate Taft and came around to score on a single by freshman catcher Ty Syta (Hamburg, N.Y./St. Francis).

Le Moyne scored three runs in the top of the second. After Nevins singled and Spinoso doubled to force a pitching change, Taft blasted a homer to left field for an 8-0 lead.

Taft drilled another homer to left center in the third inning.

Jefferson got on the scoreboard with a run in the bottom of the third. Lorenzo singled to the second baseman to start the inning and took second on a throwing error. Santiago then doubled to center to knock in Lorenzo.

The Dolphins scored twice in the fourth inning to extend their lead to 11-1. After Jacques led off with a single, Tuey homered to right field.

The Rams got one run back as designated hitter Austin Torres homered with one out in the bottom of the fourth.

Le Moyne pushed its lead to 14-2 with three runs in the fifth inning. Taft led off with his third home run of the game to left field. Place then walked and moved to second on a two-out single by Tuey. After DiNorcia singled to load the bases, O'Mara singled to right center to knock in Place and Tuey.

The Dolphins completed their scoring for the day with six runs in the sixth inning. Spinoso led off with a walk and then Taft singled to right. After sophomore pinch-hitter Jeff Wilson (Rochester, N.Y./Greece-Odyssey) walked to load the bases, sophomore pinch-hitter Drew Fureno (Canajoharie, N.Y./Fort Plain) was hit by a pitch to force in Spinoso. Jacques then walked on four pitches to plate Taft and force a pitching change. Tuey greeted the new pitcher with a single to knock in Wilson. After an out, O'Mara walked to force home Fureno. Freshman pinch-hitter Drew Carroll (Clifton Park, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Albany)) then singled up the middle to drive in Jacques and Tuey.

Jefferson scored twice in the bottom of the sixth for the final runs of the day. Pinch-hitters Van Schuler and CJ Pluck walked with one out and came around to score on a double to left by pinch-hitter Cole Kriger.

Freshman Ryan DuBord (Old Saybrook, Conn./Old Saybrook) earned his first collegiate win after striking out three over five innings, while yielding two runs and five hits.
Bryce Herman took the loss after giving up seven runs (six earned) in one-plus innings.

Le Moyne (7-7) returns to the diamond on Friday at 12:00 p.m. at Seton Hill University. The Dolphins will also face Millersville at 3:00 p.m. on Friday.