Saint Louis, Mo. – The Le Moyne College baseball team (3-5) handed Saint Louis University (8-1) its first loss of the season on Friday at SLU's Billiken Sports Complex.

Le Moyne scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning to claim a 6-5 win in the first contest of a three-game weekend series, which was also the first-ever game between the two programs.

Saint Louis held a 5-3 advantage at the end of the seventh inning, but Le Moyne outscored the Billikens 3-0 in the final two innings to take their first lead of the game and earn their third road victory of the young season.

"This team showed some grit today," said Le Moyne head coach Scott Cassidy '98. "Down late against a very good team and grinded out some quality at bats and our pitching was good. Max (Parker) gave us another great start and Billy (Hoffacker) came in and shut the door. (Nick) Nevins came up with a big two-out hit to put us ahead in the ninth after (Mike) Whelehan and (Jason) Boule got us going. Great team win. We gotta build off of this and string some wins together now."

Le Moyne shortstop Nick Nevins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) went 2-4 at the plate with a walk, an RBI and a game-high two runs scored along with three assists and a putout in the field.

Nevins drove in the go-ahead run with two outs in the top of the ninth, ripping a single up the middle that scored left fielder Jason Boule (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) and gave the Dolphins a 6-5 lead.

Right fielder Wyatt Patchett (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva) recorded two hits and a team-high two runs batted in during the win. Patchett drove in both runs with a double to center field in the top of the fifth which tied the game at 3-3.

Third baseman Adam Sullivan (Syracuse, N.Y./Marcellus) went 2-3 at the plate for the 'Phins with a walk and an RBI. Sullivan cut Le Moyne's deficit in half in the top of the eighth when he delivered a two-out single up the middle that drove in first baseman Dewey Roden (Sherrill, N.Y./Vernon-Verona-Sherrill/UMass Lowell), who got himself in scoring position by hitting a single up the middle with two outs and nobody on and advancing to second base on a wild pitch.

Center fielder Zach Brush (New York Mills, N.Y./Utica Notre Dame) and second baseman Mike Whelehan (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton) each recorded a hit and a run scored for the Dolphins.

Whelehan provided a leadoff single in the top of the ninth inning, advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt, then stole third and scored the tying run following a throwing error.

Left-handed starting pitcher Max Parker (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) went 7.0 innings during the series opener, allowing nine hits, five runs and two walks with three strikeouts. Parker has now gone at least 6.0 innings in all three of his starts so far this season, and he has gone 7.0 innings in his last two starts.

Right-handed reliever Billy Hoffacker (Erial, N.J./Timber Creek/Rowan College of South Jersey) recorded his second victory of the season after completing 2.0 scoreless innings in relief.

Hoffacker, who earned his first win of the season during Le Moyne's extra-inning victory at Radford last weekend, allowed one hit and one walk with two strikeouts in the final two innings to secure the win for Le Moyne.

With two outs and runners on second and third in the bottom of the eighth, Hoffacker got a foul ball flyout to strand both runners on base and keep Le Moyne's deficit at one run, then he delivered a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the ninth to close out the one-run win.

Saint Louis right fielder Patrick Clohisy went 3-5 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored. SLU starting pitcher Tommy Ray recorded six strikeouts with five hits, three walks and three runs allowed in 4.2 innings, then right-hander Jack Weber tallied seven strikeouts in 3.1 innings in relief, during which he allowed two hits and one run. Right-hander Evan Gray pitched the top of the ninth for the Billikens and was credited with the loss.

Le Moyne and Saint Louis will play game two of the series on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET, followed by the series finale on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET.