Dover, Del. – The Le Moyne College baseball team lost the first game of its weekend Northeast Conference series at Delaware State University on Friday by a score of 12-10.
The two sides will play game two of the series on Saturday at 11 a.m., then game three will take place on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Le Moyne graduate first baseman
Dewey Roden (Sherrill, N.Y./Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) recorded a career-high six runs batted in during the setback with a two-run home, his first long ball of the season, a two-run double, and an RBI single.
Center fielder
Zach Brush (New York Mills, N.Y./Utica Notre Dame) reached base six times for the Dolphins. Brush went 5-5 at the plate to record a career-high in hits along with a walk, three runs scored and two RBI.
Junior catcher
Benji Ries (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) registered a season-high three hits and a career-high-tying three runs scored, while freshman second baseman
Mike Whelehan (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton) added a season-high two hits and a season-high two runs scored.
Le Moyne starting left-handed pitcher
Max Parker (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) allowed three earned runs in 5.0 innings of work, then redshirt-junior right-hander
Billy Hoffacker (Erial, N.J./Timber Creek/Rowan College of South Jersey) allowed three earned runs in 3.0 innings in relief.
Right fielder Kodai Yaoita, left fielder Chris Amparo and catcher Joey Current each scored three runs for DSU during their first NEC victory of the season. Yaoita went 3-4 at the plate and drove in two runs, and Amparo launched a solo home run in the fifth inning.
DSU starting pitcher Jack Messmore recorded eight strikeouts with six earned runs in 5.1 innings. Evan Bouldin got the final six outs for Delaware State to earn the save.
The Hornets led 7-5 at the end of the fifth inning, then Roden's two-run home run tied the game in the top of the sixth.
DSU went back ahead with three runs in the bottom of the frame via RBI singles from center fielders Wilfredo Mendez, Yaoita and designated hitter Jaryn Sample.
Roden's double down the left field line in the top of the seventh drove in Whelehan and Ries to trim Le Moyne's deficit to 10-9.
DSU then added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI double from Bouldin, and a sacrifice fly to center field by Current.
Le Moyne got a run back in the eighth with a two-out RBI single up the middle from Brush, but Bouldin got a strikeout to strand the tying run on base.
The Dolphins went down 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth.
