Uniondale, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College baseball team earned a 5-1 win over the Adelphi University Panthers on Friday afternoon in an NCAA East Region elimination game, played on Mitchel Field Athletic Complex at Molloy College.

With the win, the #7 seed Le Moyne stays alive in the East Regional #2 bracket and will take on the loser of the Friday afternoon winner's bracket matchup between #2 Molloy College and #6 Franklin Pierce University on Saturday morning. The Dolphins were able to bounce back following Thursday's 5-4 extra-inning defeat to the Molloy Lions. The #3 seed Adelphi Panthers previously fell to FPU on Thursday, and have been eliminated from the NCAA Championship

The Dolphins and the Panthers met for a four-game series in Garden City during the regular season less than a month ago. Adelphi claimed three out of the four Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division battles, including an 11-3 win during game one against Max Parker (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius), on their way to earning the top spot in the Southwest Division standings with a total of 17 conference victories in 2022.

On Friday in Uniondale, both teams had their season on the line. In the win or go home contest, Le Moyne head coach Scott Cassidy '98 gave the ball to the 6'2" sophomore left-hander Max Parker, who delivered a gem to help the Dolphins extend their postseason run.

Parker pitched all nine innings, allowing just six hits and one run to earn his seventh victory of the season.

Freshman right-handed starting pitcher John Rizzo allowed just two earned runs in 6.0 innings of work for Adelphi, and junior right-hander Tommy O' Sullivan did not allow a run or a hit during 2.0 innings in relief.

Adelphi junior shortstop Matt Alifano and junior catcher Alec Maag both recorded two hits for the Panthers. Alifano scored the team's lone run, and Maag was the one who drove him in.

Le Moyne senior first baseman Ty Syta (Hamburg, N.Y./St. Francis) and graduate third baseman Derrick Miller (Westernville, N.Y./Rome Free Academy/Hudson Valley C.C.), who hit fourth and fifth in the lineup, respectively, each scored a run and drove in another during the win. Miller went 2-3 and was hit by a pitch, while Syta went 3-4 with a double. Junior center fielder Zach Brush (New York Mills, N.Y./Utica Notre Dame) and sophomore left fielder Jason Boule (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse) who hit first and ninth, respectively, each contributed two hits during the win, while graduate right fielder and three-hitter Michael Smith (Montebello, N.Y./Suffern) got on base twice and came around to score both times.

Le Moyne took advantage of an Adelphi error in the 1^st inning to take an early lead.

With two outs and nobody on base in the bottom of the 1^st inning, Mike Smith was facing a 2-2 count. 2022 NE10 First Team All-Conference selection Smith was out in front of the 2-2 pitch and smacked the ball in front of the outfield in the right-center field gap for a base hit. Syta worked a full count during the next at-bat, then hit the ball into the left-center field gap. Smith rounded second and sprinted to third, and Syta hustled to second base for a double.

Miller was hit by a pitch to load the bases, which brought up senior shortstop Nick Nevins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C.Ketcham). Nevins fell into an 0-2 hole, then swung and missed at the third pitch he saw, which was a fastball on the upper-inside part of the plate. The pitch flew right by the catcher's glove and went all the way to the backstop. Smith came sprinting home, and Nevins hustled down the first base line. The Adelphi catcher scrambled to the ball and threw it towards first base. The throw was off target, the first baseman could not keep it in front, and the ball rolled down the right field line. Smith's run made it 1-0, then Syta crossed the plate and Miller followed suit to give Le Moyne three unearned runs and a 3-0 lead.

Parker shut down the Panthers in the top of the 2^nd, then delivered a 1-2-3 top of the 3^rd. Adelphi put runners on first and second with one out in the top of the 4^th, but Parker got a ground ball to the right side of the infield, allowing Drew Carroll (Clifton Park, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Albany)), Nevins and Syta to turn a 4-6-3 double play and end the inning, keeping the Panthers scoreless.

Parker recorded another 1-2-3 inning during the top of the 5^th, then Le Moyne added to their lead in the bottom of the inning.

Le Moyne's leadoff hitter and Second Team All-Conference selection Brush led off the bottom of the 5^th inning, and he hammered the first pitch he saw into the left-center field gap for a double.

With one out in the inning Smith drew a walk, then Syta ripped a single through the right side of the infield to drive in Brush and put the 'Phins up 4-0.

Miller stepped to the plate next with Syta on first and Smith on second. On an 0-1 count, Miller poked the ball in front of the outfield in the left-center field gap. Smith came around to score from second easily, giving Le Moyne a 5-0 advantage.

Alifano led off the top of the 6^th with a base hit to center field, then Anthony Cipri moved him to second with a ground ball to the right side.

Maag singled up the middle during the next at-bat which allowed Alifano to score from second base and get the Panthers on the scoreboard.

Parker recorded a strikeout then got a ground ball out to end the inning without sustaining further damage.

Boule and Brush hit consecutive one out singles in the bottom of the 6^th to give the 'Phins a runner in scoring position, but Rizzo continued to battle on the mound for the Panthers and got two consecutive fly balls to end the inning and keep the deficit at just four runs.

Parker showed no signs of fatigue during his seventh inning of work, throwing just 14 pitches during a 1-2-3 top of the 7^th.

Alifano recorded another base hit with one out in the top of the 8^th, but Parker got an infield pop up and a ground ball out to end the inning and maintain Le Moyne's four-run lead.

Parker returned to the mound for the 9^th inning, looking to record his first career nine inning complete-game victory.

Parker recorded a fly ball to center field for the first out of the inning, then got the next batter swinging on a 1-2 count for the second out. Facing the potential final batter of the game, Parker got ahead in the count, 1-2. On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Parker got the batter to swing and hit a chopper towards the left side of the infield. Miller fielded the ball cleanly moving towards his left and smoothly tossed the ball across the diamond into the glove of Syta at first, who caught the ball with his foot on the bag to end the game and secure the victory for the 'Phins.

The Dolphins will play another elimination game tomorrow against either the Lions or the Ravens.