Syracuse, N.Y. – Sophomore righty Ryan Murphy (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) pitched into the eighth inning and sophomore right fielder Michael Smith (Montebello, N.Y./Suffern) scored twice to lead the Le Moyne College baseball team to a 5-1 win over Southern Connecticut State University in the second game of a Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Dick Rockwell Field. The Owls took the opener, 10-6.

The Dolphins opened the scoring in the nightcap with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Smith reached on a fielder's choice and then stole second base. After an out and a hit batsman, senior left fielder David DiNorcia (Naples, Fla./Seacrest Country Day) singled up the middle to drive in Smith.

Le Moyne doubled its lead in the third inning. Redshirt sophomore second baseman Brian O'Mara (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) led off with a double down the right field line. Following a walk in between a pair of outs, Smith singled to the left of the pitcher to advance O'Mara to third, while he raced home on an errant throw by the pitcher to first base.

Southern Connecticut State answered with an unearned run in the top of the fourth to cut its deficit in half. Left fielder Nick Lamberti and designated hitter Tyler Criscuolo recorded back-to-back singles with one out. On a double steal, the catcher's throw to third was wide of his target, which allowed Lamberti to score.

The Dolphins pushed their lead back to two in the sixth. Smith led off with a single to center and stole second with one out. Following a pair of walks around an out to load the bases, O'Mara was hit by a pitch, which forced home Smith.

Le Moyne tacked on a pair of runs in the seventh. Following a four-pitch walk by senior catcher/designated hitter Camillo Spinoso (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy/George Washington), redshirt senior first baseman Andrew Taft (Clinton, N.Y./Clinton/Buffalo) blasted his 10th home run of the season over the fence in center field. The blast was the 27th of Taft's Le Moyne career, which ties him with Andre Enriquez '06 for the fourth-most in the program's history.

Murphy turned in his third straight quality start after striking out eight over seven and two-thirds innings, while yielding one unearned run and eight hits. Ronnie Rossomando took the loss for the Owls after allowing three runs (two earned) and five hits over six innings, while striking out seven.

In the first game of the day, the Owls struck for three runs in each of the first, third and fifth innings. Shortstop Jim Palmer led off with a single to center and first baseman Cam O'Toole followed with a single through the left side. Following a sacrifice bunt and a walk by Criscuolo to load the bases, third baseman Connor Redahan was hit by a pitch, which forced in Palmer. Catcher/first baseman Mike DeMartino then worked a seven-pitch walk to force in O'Toole. Following the second out of the inning, Criscuolo scored on a passed ball.

Following a single by Redahan and a walk by DeMartino to open the third, center fielder Mac Finnegan homered to right field for a 6-0 lead.

Redahan and DeMartino were the catalysts for the run scoring in the fifth. Redahan was hit by a pitch to start the inning and then DeMartino walked on nine pitches. Following two outs, second baseman John Spoto homered to left field.

The Dolphins got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth. Smith and junior center fielder Justin Tuey (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) drew walks around a fly out. After moving to third on a wild pitch, Smith scored on a single through the left side by DiNorcia.

The Owls got the run back in the top of the sixth. O'Toole reached on an error by the shortstop to open the frame. Following a fly out, Criscuolo and Redahan singled to center to load the bases and force a Le Moyne pitching change. After a foul out, O'Toole scored on a wild pitch.

Le Moyne scored three times on four hits in the seventh. Junior third baseman Nicholas Jacques (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Shenendehowa) led off with a single to left and moved to third on a one-out double to right center by DiNorcia. O'Mara then doubled down the left field line to drive in Jacques and DiNorcia. Following a groundout, Spinoso singled through the left side to plate O'Mara.

The Dolphins scored another run in the bottom of the eighth. Senior designated hitter Nick Place (Towanda, Pa./Towanda) reached on a fielding error by the shortstop to start the inning. Following two outs, a single by Tuey and a balk, DiNorcia singled through the left side to drive in Place.

Le Moyne plated a run in the bottom of the ninth, but left the tying run in the on-deck circle. Taft singled through the right side with two outs and then Place singled through the left side. Smith then blooped a single in front of the center fielder to knock in Taft. The next batter was retired to end the game.

Senior Sam Walsh (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) took the loss after allowing 10 runs (eight earned) and nine hits over five and one-third innings, while striking out four. DiNorcia finished the game with three of Le Moyne's 12 hits, while Taft and Jacques each had two. Joe Nemchek earned the win after yielding just one run over six innings, while striking out two. Mike Ferrett earned his second save of the season after tossing the final three innings.

Le Moyne (15-18, 6-7 NE10, 3-4 SW) concludes the three-game series with the Owls on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.