Myrtle Beach, S.C. – The Le Moyne College baseball team split their doubleheader against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Friday afternoon at the Ripken Experience Complex in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The Spartans won the first game on a walk-off base hit in the bottom of the 9th inning, then the 'Phins took game two by a score of 5-0.

Le Moyne graduate left-hander Joe Vail (Cromwell, Conn./Xavier) started game 1 on the mound and allowed three earned runs in 5.0 innings of work.

Freshman right-hander Steven Freer (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) threw 3.0 innings in relief for the 'Phins, during which he surrendered zero hits, zero runs, and one walk.

STAC put a runner in scoring position during the bottom of the 1^st with one out, but Vail recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning. During the bottom of the 2^nd inning, Vail got consecutive fly outs for the first two outs, then walked a batter. With a runner on first base, the veteran left-hander threw over and nearly picked him off. Vail got the ball back from first base, set himself on the mound, then suddenly threw over to first again. This time the runner was off balance and got picked off to end the inning.

In the bottom of the 3^rd the Spartans were able to put a run on the board. Sophomore infielder Joseph Scamardella walked to lead off the inning. STAC graduate infielder Matthew Johnson laid down a sacrifice bunt towards first base to move the runner over. After the ball was fielded, Johnson seemingly went outside of the base path to avoid the tag, but the home plate umpire did not see it that way, allowing Johnson to reach safely and moving Scamardella to third base. A sacrifice fly brought Scamardella home and gave the Spartans a 1-0 lead.

Saint Thomas Aquinas belted two doubles during the bottom of the 4^th inning and extended their lead to 4-0.

During the bottom of the 5^th, STAC put runners on first and second with one out. Vail threw a pitch in the dirt, but Le Moyne's brick wall behind the plate Drew Fureno (Canajoharie, N.Y./Fort Plain) made a great block to keep the ball in front, popped up quickly to retrieve it, then took a hard look at the lead runner, who was frozen between second and third. The runner made a break for third, and Fureno calmly threw the ball to Derrick Miller (Westernville, N.Y./Rome Free Academy/Hudson Valley C.C.) at third base who applied the tag for out number two. Vail got an infield pop up to end the inning.

The 'Phins got back into the game during the top of the 6^th inning.

Drew Fureno and senior second baseman Drew Carroll (Clifton Park, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Albany)) both drew walks to start the inning, then graduate right fielder Michael Smith (Montebello, N.Y./Suffern) drilled the ball on the ground to the right side beyond the glove of the diving second basemen to load the bases. Senior shortstop Nick Nevins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) stepped to the plate and ripped a single down the first base line which brought Fureno and Carroll home to score and cut Le Moyne's deficit in half. Senior first basemen Ty Syta (Hamburg, N.Y./St. Francis) hit the ball in the air to the outfield for a sacrifice fly, but the STAC left fielder dropped the ball which allowed Syta to reach safely and scored Smith. Later in the inning junior center fielder Zach Brush (New York Mills, N.Y./Utica Notre Dame) drew a walk to re-load the bases, then freshman Wyatt Patchett (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva) drew a walk to tie the game at 4-4.

During the bottom of the 7^th, Syta made a diving play at first base, then Nevins charged a softly hit ground ball, smoothly fielded it and made an accurate throw on the run to first base, then Freer got a fly ball to left field to end the inning.

Le Moyne had runners on second and third with two outs during the top of the 8^th, but a ground ball to first base ended the half inning. Miller drew a two-out walk for the 'Phins during the top of the 9^th, then sophomore outfielder Jason Boule (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse)) singled through the left side of the infield and Brush drew a walk to load the bases. A called third strike on a 3-2 count during the next at-bat ended the inning.

Sophomore right-hander Kennen Smith (Poughquag, N.Y./Arlington) took the mound for Le Moyne to start the bottom of the 9^th inning with the score tied 4-4. A leadoff walk, followed by a slow roller to the right side, and a single to right center field gave the Spartans a 5-4 lead and ended game one of the doubleheader.

Sophomore left-hander Max Parker (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) did not allow a run in 6.0 innings of work on the mound for Le Moyne during game two of the doubleheader. Parker surrendered just three hits and struck out six batters during his second start of the year. Junior right-hander Sam DiGeorge pitched the final inning for the 'Phins and secured the shutout.

Carroll drove his first home run of the season over the left field wall during the bottom of the 5^th inning. Syta went two-for-two with a walk and two runs scored during the win. Brush also went two-for-two at the plate and drove in a run, and Drew Fureno belted two doubles, drove in a run and scored another during Le Moyne's victory.

Parker allowed just one STAC baserunner during the first two innings, and Le Moyne got on the board during the bottom of the 2^nd inning. Syta led off the 2^nd with a walk, then Miller walked to move Syta into scoring position. Boule hit the ball on the ground up the middle, and it deflected off the pitcher's glove towards the second baseman. The Saint Thomas Aquinas second baseman changed direction, fielded the ball and threw Boule out at first base, but Miller and Syta advanced to second and third base, respectively, with one out. Brush stepped up the plate next and did his job. The junior center fielder drove the ball to deep center field for a SAC fly, driving in Syta and allowing Miller to tag-up and take third base. Drew Fureno smashed the ball off the left field wall to knock in Miller and make it 2-0 in favor of the Dolphins.

STAC put runners on second and third during the top of the 4^th, but Parker forced a flyout to right field to end the inning.

Syta drove the ball into the right center field gap for a triple to lead off the bottom of the 4^th. Miller came to the plate next and lifted the ball to left field, bringing Syta in to score on a sacrifice fly to extend the 'Phins lead to 3-0.

Carroll led off the bottom of the 5^th inning with a solo shot to left field to make it 4-0 in favor of the Dolphins.

During the bottom of the 6^th inning, D. Fureno drove a two-out double over the left-fielder's head. Younger brother Brady Fureno (Canajoharie, N.Y./Fort Plain) did the same during Le Moyne's next at-bat to drive in Drew and give the Dolphins another run.

After today's split, the Dolphins are now 2-4 on the season, while the Spartans are 1-1.

The Le Moyne College baseball team will return to the Ripken Experience Complex on Saturday afternoon for a 11:00 a.m. battle against the University of Bridgeport.