Syracuse, N.Y. – Shortstop Jim Palmer and first baseman Cam O'Toole combined for six hits at the top of the order to lead Southern Connecticut State University to a 9-3 win over the Le Moyne College baseball team on Sunday morning in Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division action at Dick Rockwell Field.

Southern Connecticut State got the scoring started with a pair of unearned runs in the third inning. Palmer and O'Toole recorded back-to-back singles with one out and then left fielder Nick Lamberti walked to load the bases. After Palmer was retired at home on a fielder's choice, O'Toole and Lamberti scored as third baseman Connor Redahan reached on an error by the third baseman.

Le Moyne cut its deficit in half in the bottom of the third. Redshirt sophomore second baseman Brian O'Mara (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) and freshman shortstop Nick Nevins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) began the inning with singles. After a walk to load the bases, redshirt senior first baseman Andrew Taft (Clinton, N.Y./Clinton/Buffalo) lifted a sacrifice fly to center to drive in O'Mara.

The Owls blew the game open with seven runs in the fifth inning on five hits and one Le Moyne error. O'Toole led off with a double to left center and then Lamberti walked. After a balk moved the runners up a base, designated hitter Tyler Criscuolo doubled down the right field line to drive in O'Toole and Lamberti. Following a sacrifice bunt, catcher Mike DeMartino singled through the right side to knock in Criscuolo and force a pitching change. After a walk to pinch-hitter/right fielder Isaiah Likely, right fielder/center fielder Nolan Cloutier doubled to left to plate DeMartino. Two batters later, Palmer singled to center to drive in Cloutier and second baseman John Spoto. Palmer then scored from second on a throwing error by the shortstop to end the inning's scoring.

The Dolphins scored one run in the sixth without getting a hit. After sophomore right fielder Michael Smith (Montebello, N.Y./Suffern) reached on a fielder's choice, he moved to second on a walk and took third on a groundout. Smith then scored on a balk.
 
Le Moyne added another run in the seventh to trim its deficit. Nevins led off the frame with a single through the right side. Following a pair of fly outs, senior designated player Nick Place (Towanda, Pa./Towanda) singled to right and moved to second on a fielding error by the right fielder, which allowed Nevins to score.

Sophomore southpaw Joe Vail (Cromwell, Fla./Xavier) took the loss after giving up six runs (four earned) in four and one-third innings, while striking out six. Brandon White improved to 4-0 on the season after tossing six innings, while yielding three runs (two earned.

Le Moyne (15-19, 6-8 NE10, 3-5 SW) returns to the diamond on Friday at the University of New Haven at 3:30 p.m.