Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College baseball team won both seven-inning games of their doubleheader against #12 Franklin Pierce University (16-6, 4-0 NE10) on Sunday afternoon to improve their record to 13-11 and take the first two contests of a four-game series that will not count towards either team's conference record.

The Dolphins dug themselves out of a 7-0 deficit in game one to claim an 11-8 win during the first half of the doubleheader. Freshman right-hander Eric Swiencicki (Lancaster, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute) pitched scoreless innings in the top of the sixth and seventh, and after the Dolphins scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead Swiecicki was credited with his second victory of the season.

Sophomore right fielder Wyatt Patchett (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva) delivered two two-run home runs during the game one victory, the second of which came in the bottom of the sixth to extend Le Moyne's lead to 11-8. Patchett, who now has a team-high five home runs in 2023, finished the contest with three hits, three runs scored and five RBIs, which tied his career and season-high.

The Dolphins scored eight of their runs off FPU starter Kyle Roche, who entered the series with a pristine 5-0 record and just four earned runs allowed in over 30 innings pitched.

Freshman infielder Lukas Egenhauser (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) ripped a two-RBI double during the win, while senior Zach Brush (New York Mills, N.Y./Utica Notre Dame) provided a go-ahead RBI double in the bottom of the sixth.

Le Moyne won game two by a score of 3-0 behind a two-hit complete-game gem from junior left-hander Max Parker (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius). In 7.0 innings Parker walked just one batter and struck out eight. Franklin Pierce recorded a double in the first and another in the fourth, but beyond that were unable to put a runner in scoring position against Parker during the contest.

FPU junior shortstop Ian Battipaglia, who recorded a double in the first inning during game two, hammered a pitch towards right field in the top of the fourth, but Patchett made a great catch over his shoulder at the wall for the second out of the inning.

Le Moyne scored all of three of their runs in game two during the bottom of the first inning via RBI doubles from graduate first baseman Dewey Roden (Sherrill, N.Y./Vernon-Verona-Sherrill/UMass Lowell), freshman third baseman Brody Keneston (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) and Patchett.

FPU junior right-hander Chaz Powell, who entered the series with a 4-0 record, gave up four of his six total hits allowed during the first inning before holding the Dolphins scoreless in the next five frames.

Keneston and graduate center fielder/second baseman Drew Carroll (Clifton Park, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy (Albany)) both recorded two hits during the game two win.

"Those were two great wins for us today," said Le Moyne head coach Scott Cassidy '98 following the doubleheader. "After going down by five runs in the first inning [in game one], these guys showed some grit and battled back to get the win. We had some great pitching out of the bullpen in game one and a fantastic job by Max in game two. Our offense was very good today with several guys putting good swings on the ball, led by a great game one from Wyatt. He was locked in and really showed his power, hitting two home runs into a stiff wind. It was a good day that we can build on going into tomorrow," Cassidy continued.

Franklin Pierce traveled to Syracuse with a 16-4 record, and a No. 12 ranking in the most recent NCBWA Division II Top 25 Poll. The Ravens were also ranked 29^th in the Collegiate Baseball poll.

The Dolphins and the Ravens will complete their four-game series with another doubleheader at Dick Rockwell Field on Monday afternoon at 12:00 and 3:00 p.m.
 
Game One:
Redshirt-sophomore right-hander Jordan Goldmann (Encinitas, Calif./Canyon Crest Academy/Palomar College/Grossmont College) started game one on the mound for the 'Phins and completed 4.0 innings of work. Junior righty Kennen Smith (Poughquag, N.Y./Arlington) tossed one inning in relief before Swiencicki pitched the final two frames.

Franklin Pierce scored five runs in the top of the first inning without recording a single hit. The Ravens drew three walks and one hit by pitch in the opening frame then capitalized on two errors by the Dolphins.

FPU's leadoff hitter, senior center fielder Joel Lara manufactured a run in the top of the second to extend his team's lead to 6-0, then the Ravens went up 7-0 in the third following an RBI double from senior left fielder Jake Miller. FPU would have scored again in the third if not for a tremendous defensive play from freshman Adam Sullivan (Syracuse, N.Y./Marcellus) in left field. With Miller on second base, Lara ripped a single through the left side of the infield. As Miller rounded third and headed for home, Sullivan charged forward to field the ball then came up and fired a laser towards the plate. Junior catcher Brady Fureno (Canajoharies, N.Y./Fort Plain) caught the ball above his head then quickly went to the ground and applied the tag to record the final out of the inning and stop the run from scoring.

In the bottom of the third, Carroll ripped a 2-0 pitch into the right-center field gap to drive in Egenhauser and give the Dolphins their first run of the game.

Goldmann shut down the Ravens with a quick inning in the top of the fourth to complete his day's work, then the Dolphins trimmed their deficit to 7-4 in the bottom of the frame.

Brush drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the bottom of the fourth, bringing Patchett to the plate. Patchett swung through a breaking ball on the first pitch of the at bat before lifting a fastball high in the air and over the left-center field wall to make it 7-3 in favor of the Ravens.

Sullivan drew a walk during the next at bat, then stole second base with Fureno at the plate. On a 1-2 pitch Fureno hit a line drive back up the middle. The ball snuck by the FPU second baseman and rolled into the outfield, allowing Sullivan to score from second base and trim Le Moyne's deficit to 7-4.

Franklin Pierce got a run back in the top of the fifth with the help of a Le Moyne error.

Roden led off the bottom of the fifth with a line drive base hit to right field, then Keneston ripped an 0-1 pitch through the left side of the infield to give Le Moyne runners on first and second with zero outs.

After Roche recorded a strike out for the first out of the inning, Patchett swung at the first pitch he saw and hit a rocket towards right field. The ball flew over the outstretched arm of the right fielder and landed against the wall, allowing Roden to score from second.

Roche got another strikeout for out number two, then Fureno battled out of a 1-2 count and fouled off three two-strike pitches before drawing a walk to load the bases.

Egenhauser got ahead 2-0 during the next at bat before hitting a line drive over the first baseman's head and down the right field line to drive in two runs and make it a one-run game.

Immediately following a pitching change, a balk was called against FPU which brought Fureno home to score from third and tied the game at 8-8.

Swiencicki entered the game for the top of the sixth and stranded a runner at second base to maintain the tie, then Le Moyne took the lead in the bottom of the frame.

Roden drew a one-out walk then advanced to second base on a Keneston ground ball to the right side.

Brush ripped a double down the left field line during the next at bat to drive in Roden and give Le Moyne their first lead of the afternoon.

Patchett saw three consecutive balls during the next at bat, then swung at the 3-0 pitch and launched a towering fly ball that sailed over the left field fence for his second home run of the afternoon, giving the Dolphins an 11-8 advantage. A no-doubt home run, Patchett seemed to know the ball was going to leave the yard before he left the batter's box.

Swiecicki gave up a leadoff single in the top of the seventh, then retired the next three batters in order to end the inning and secure the win for the 'Phins.
 
Game Two:
Parker stranded a runner at third in the top of the first inning, striking out FPU's cleanup hitter on a high fastball to end the opening frame.

Carroll ripped a single through the left side of the infield to lead off the bottom of the first, then immediately stole second base to give the 'Phins a runner in scoring position.

With one out in the inning, Roden hit a fly ball down the left field line for an RBI double.

Keneston fell behind 0-2 during the next at bat, then sat back and hammered a breaking ball into the left-center field gap to drive in Roden and make it 2-0 in favor of the Dolphins.

Keneston advanced to third on a ground ball from Brush, then Patchett fell behind 0-2 before driving a waist-high fastball into left center to bring Keneston home and give the Dolphins their third run of the opening inning.

Parker struck out the side in the top of the second, then recorded another 1-2-3 inning in the third.

After sophomore first baseman Jose Savinon recorded a two-out double in the top of the fourth for FPU's second hit of the game, Parker fell behind 2-0 to the second baseman Connor Smalley. Parker threw two fastballs by Smalley to even the count, then placed a 3-2 fastball on the inside corner for a called strike three to end the inning and strand Savinon at second base.

Parker gave up his lone walk with two outs and nobody on in the fifth, then struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Carroll doubled down the left field line with out in the bottom of the fifth, then senior shortstop Nick Nevins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) moved him over to third with a ground ball to the right side, but Powell got a fly ball during the next at bat to end the inning.

Parker delivered 1-2-3 innings in the sixth and seventh frames to complete the shutout victory.