Marcellus, N.Y. – Sophomore Johnny Gruninger (Syracuse, N.Y./Manlius Pebble Hill) tied for medalist honors to lead the Le Moyne College men's golf team to a first-place finish at the annual Mike Bello Invitational on Sunday and Monday at the par-72, 6604-yard Sunset Ridge Golf Club.

The Dolphins, who won the event for the first time since 2017, placed first at the seven-team invitational with a two-day score of four-over par 580. They opened play with a two-under par 286 in the first round to take a 10-shot lead as all five players recorded top-nine scores. They tallied a 294 on the second day to win the event by two strokes.

West Chester University finished in second place with a 582 after turning in a 296 in the first round to land in a tie for second and a two-under 286 on Monday to close its deficit. Laval University placed third with a 589 after posting a 296 on day one and a 293 in the second round.

Gruninger earned his first collegiate medalist honors after finishing in a three-way tie for first place with a career-best three-under par score of 141. He was joined at the top of the leaderboard by West Chester's Ryan D'Ariano (72-69) and Laval's David Tweddell (70-71). Gruninger opened the invitational with a one-under par 71, which included birdies on four of the six par-5s, to land in a tie for third place. He then carded a two-under par 70, tied for the second-best score of his career, to move up in the standings. He registered 25 pars (tied for the third-most in the event), seven birdies (all on par 5s)(tied for the fifth-most) and just four bogeys.

Junior Tyler Birdd (Elma, N.Y./Iroquois) finished in a tie for sixth place with a one-over par 145. He registered a two-under par 70, which featured four birdies, in the opening round to tie for first place. Then then turned in a 75 on two day.

Seniors Luke Barney (Apalachin, N.Y./Vestal) and Nicholas Bove (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee) finished in a three-way tie for ninth place at 147. Barney tied for fifth place in the first round with a career best-tying even-par 72, including five birdies, four of which came on par-5s. He then tallied a 75 on the second day, including three more birdies. He finished in a four-way tie for the most birdies at the invitational with eight. Bove finished the first round in a three-way tie for seventh place with a one-over par 73, which included a round-best 15 pars. He followed on Monday with a 74, which included two birdies and the only eagle on the par-5 fourth hole of the event. He finished the two days with 26 pars, which tied for the most.

Freshman Anthony Maglisco (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) rounded out the team's scorers with a career-best four-over par 148 to finish in a four-way tie for 12th place. He turned in a one-over par 73, including four birdies, on the first day to join Bove in the tie for seventh. He then posted a 75, including three birdies, in the second round. He joined Gruninger in the tie for the fifth-most birdies with seven.
 
The Dolphins are back in action next Monday and Tuesday at the 59th Annual Cecil C. Spadafora Invitational hosted by Indiana University of Pennsylvania at Indiana Country Club in Indiana, Pennsylvania.