Uniondale, N.Y. – The Molloy College Lions, the #2 seed in the 2022 NCAA Division II Baseball Championship East Region, and the host for the four-team East Regional #2 double-elimination bracket, bested the #7 seed Le Moyne College Dolphins by a score of 5-4 in 12 innings on Thursday afternoon.

The #3 seed Adelphi University Panthers and the #6 seed Franklin Pierce University Ravens will battle in the other East Regional #2 matchup on Thursday. The winner of that contest will play Molloy tomorrow afternoon, while the loser will play Le Moyne tomorrow morning in an elimination matchup.

Both Molloy and Le Moyne sent out a First Team All-Conference starting pitcher to begin the NCAA tournament first round matchup.

Jacob Marshall (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker), an NE10 First Team All-Conference selection as well as the 2022 Southwest Division Pitcher of the Year got the ball for the Dolphins, while ECC Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-Conference honoree Charlie Cucchiara started the game on the mound for the Lions.

Marshall allowed three runs in 7.0 innings of work, while Cucchiara surrendered just two runs in 8.0 innings.

Jason Boule (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse)), Drew Carroll (Clifton Park, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Albany)), and Derrick Miller (Westernville, N.Y./Rome Free Academy/ Hudson Valley C.C.) each recorded multiple hits during the loss, and Miller led the team with four hits.

Center fielder Garrett Scavelli, right fielder Matt Overton, and shortstop David Franchi each provided at least two hits for the Lions.

Both teams went down 1-2-3 in the 1^st, and neither team scored during the opening two innings.

With one out and nobody on base in the top of the 2^nd inning, Boule swung at the first pitch he saw and ripped a ground ball just beyond the reach of the diving shortstop that rolled into the outfield for a base hit. During the next at-bat, Zach Brush (New York Mills, N.Y./Utica Notre Dame) hit a single in front of the outfielders in the left-center field gap to put runners on first and second with one out.

Carroll came to the plate next and fell into a 1-2 count. Carroll looked at a ball to even the count, then he swung and sent a line drive down the right field line that dropped in fair territory for a double, which drove in Boule and moved Brush over to third.

With runners on second and third and still just one out, graduate right fielder Michael Smith (Montebello, N.Y./Suffern) lifted a fly ball high in the air towards right field. The fly ball was caught, and Brush was able to tag up and score easily, giving Smith an RBI and putting the 'Phins up 2-0.

The Lions were able to get both runs back with a walk, then back-to-back doubles to start the bottom of the 4^th. Molloy took a 3-2 lead later in the inning off a sacrifice fly.

The Lions added an insurance run in the bottom of the 8^th to go up 4-2.

Miller came up with an important base hit for Le Moyne with one out in the top of the 9^th, putting the tying run on first base. During the next at-bat, Nick Nevins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) pulled a 3-2 pitch high in the air down the line in right field. The ball bounced over the fence for a ground-rule double, putting runners on second and third for the 'Phins.
Nick Hansen (Troy, N.Y./La Salle Institute/Hudson Valley C.C.) came up next and hit a hard ground ball that ricocheted off the pitcher towards the right side of the infield. The Lions were able to retire Hansen for the second out, but Miller scored and Nevins advanced to third on the play.

Trailing by a run with a man on third, Drew Fureno (Canajoharie, N.Y./Fort Plain) hit a 1-1 pitch to the right of the shortstop, who moved away from the bag, backhanded the ball, turned and made the throw to first. Fureno hustled down the line and beat the throw to the bag, allowing Nevins to cross the plate and tie the game at 4-4.

Jacob Maser (Chittenango, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse)) shut down the Lions in the bottom of the 9^th to send the game into extra innings.

With one out and nobody on base in the top of the 10^th, Carroll swung at the first pitch of his at-bat and ripped a line drive into left field for a base hit. The senior second baseman stole second base during the next at-bat to put the go-ahead run in scoring position for Le Moyne.

Smith hit a hard ground ball to the right side of the infield, which moved Carroll over to third. With two outs, Ty Syta (Hamburg, N.Y./St. Francis) hit a line drive to right field, but it was right at the Molloy outfielder, and was caught for the final out of the inning.

Jed Boyle (Syracuse, N.Y./Corcoran) entered the game for Le Moyne out of the bullpen in the bottom of the 10^th and got the 'Phins out of a jam to keep the game alive.

Miller led off the top of the 11^th with a base hit to left field, then Nevins laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Miller into scoring position. Hansen stepped to the plate next, and sent a line drive up the middle and into center field. Miller rounded third and charged towards home, but Molloy center fielder Scavelli scooped up the ball and his throw beat Miller to the plate. The tag was applied, and Miller was ruled out at home for the second out of the inning.

Boyle struck out the side in the bottom of the 11^th, but Le Moyne went down 1-2-3 in the top of the 12^th.

Scavelli led off the bottom of the 12^th with a double in the right-center field gap, then Franchi singled into left-center field, which moved Scavelli to third base with nobody out. Franchi stole second base, then Peralta hit a fly ball to center field, which was deep enough for Scavelli to tag from third and score, ending the game and handing the Lions a 5-4 win.