Shippensburg, P.A. – The Le Moyne College baseball team split their doubleheader at Shippensburg on Saturday afternoon. The Raiders won the first game, 6-0, but the 'Phins bounced back and claimed a 9-5 victory during game number two.

"After dropping game one the guys really responded and put good swings on the ball all game. Max [Parker] gave us a great start going deep into the game as well. Hopefully we can take that momentum into our doubleheader tomorrow," said Le Moyne Head Coach Scott Cassidy '98 following today's games.

The two sides will play another doubleheader tomorrow, March 6, with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 & 3:00 p.m. EST.

Le Moyne graduate left-handed starting pitcher Joe Vail (Cromwell, Conn./Xavier) struck out seven batters in 3.2 innings of work, but the Raiders scored five runs in the bottom of the third inning via three singles and two doubles.

The Dolphins put runners in scoring position during the top of the 1^st and the 5^th, but the Shippensburg defense was solid behind starting pitcher Nick Zegna, as the Raiders held Le Moyne scoreless during the seven-inning contest. Zegna struck out just one Le Moyne batter, but the redshirt-junior right hander allowed just four hits in 6.0 innings of work to earn the win.

The Le Moyne bats came alive during the second game of the doubleheader.

During the top of the 1^st, junior center fielder Zach Brush (New York Mills, N.Y./Utica Notre-Dame) led off the game with a single up the middle, then senior shortstop Nick Nevins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) hit a one-out double to right center field to put runners on second and third. Senior first baseman Ty Syta (Hamburg, N.Y./St. Francis) drove a single to right field to drive in both runners and give the 'Phins an early 2-0 lead.

Sophomore left-handed starting pitcher Max Parker (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) continued the 'Phins momentum with a 1-2-3 inning during the bottom of the 1^st.

Parker allowed a single during the bottom of the 2^nd, but he fielded a ground ball hit right back at him and initiated a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Sophomore catcher/designated hitter Brady Fureno (Canajoharie, N.Y./Fort Plain) smacked a two-out single into right field in the top of the 4^th inning. Brush came to the plate next, and the 6'0" junior center fielder bashed a two-run homerun over the right-center field fence to give Le Moyne a 4-0 advantage.

Still with two outs in the top of the 4^th and the bases cleared, senior second baseman Drew Carroll (Clifton Park, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Albany)) knocked a single to left field, then stole second base to put himself in scoring position. Nevins ripped a single into right field to bring Carroll around to score and extend the 'Phins lead to 5-0 at the end of the 4^th inning.

Parker shut down the Raiders in the bottom of the 4^th to maintain Le Moyne's five-run lead.

Le Moyne added four more runs during the top of the 5^th inning to open up a 9-0 lead.

Graduate third baseman Derrick Miller (Westernville, N.Y./Rome Free Academy/Hudson Valley C.C.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the 5^th, then graduate right fielder Michael Smith (Montebello, N.Y./Suffern) drew a walk to move Miller into scoring position.

Sophomore left fielder Jason Boule (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse)) dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over, but a fielding error by the Shippensburg pitcher allowed Boule to reach safely and loaded the bases for the 'Phins.

Drew Fureno drew an RBI walk, then Brush's bat stayed hot with a one-out two-RBI single to left field to extend Le Moyne's lead to 8-0.

Syta singled to right field to score Fureno and make it 9-0 Le Moyne.

The Raiders got three runs back during the bottom of the 5^th that was led by a double, a triple, and a single at the beginning of the inning.

Le Moyne put runners on first and third base during the top of the 6^th, but a ground ball ended the inning.

Parker came up big for the Dolphins with a 1-2-3 inning during the bottom of the 6^th.

Shippensburg got one run back in the 7^th, then got another run in the bottom of the 8^th to trim their deficit to 9-5.

Senior left-hander Ryan DuBord (Old Saybrook, Conn./Old Saybrook) took the ball from Parker during the 8^th and recorded a strikeout to get out of the inning. DuBord allowed zero runs in the 9^th to secure the win for Le Moyne.

Parker earned his second pitching decision win of the season. The sophomore lefty struck out four batters and conceded zero walks in 7.2 innings of work.

During the game two victory, Brush went 3-6 at the plate with four RBIs, two runs scored and a homerun. Syta recorded two hits, three RBIs and a walk during the win, while Nevins went 2-4 at the plate with a hit by pitch, a double, an RBI and a run scored.

The Le Moyne College baseball team now holds a 3-7 record on the season.