Brookville, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College baseball team claimed an 8-6 win over the LIU Sharks on Saturday in the final game of their three-game Northeast Conference series at LIU's Baseball Stadium to record the program's first NEC victory.

LIU won both games of the Friday doubleheader by scores of 2-1 and 11-5, but Le Moyne erased a 5-0 deficit on Saturday with the help of a six-run inning in the fifth to avoid the sweep.

"The guys kept grinding and stayed focused," said Le Moyne head coach Scott Cassidy '98. "We got to the starter and added a few more later in the game. Really good job by our guys offensively not giving away at bats. Brady (Fureno) had a great day in the DH spot capped by a huge home run to put us ahead. On the mound, Jordan (Goldmann) settled in and did a good job and Billy (Canale) was outstanding out of the pen."

Senior catcher Brady Fureno (Canajoharie, N.Y./Fort Plain) capped the Dolphins' six-run inning with a two-run home run to left field that gave Le Moyne the lead for good. The home run was Fureno's first long ball of the season, and the third of his career. Fureno produced two runs scored for the second consecutive game to go along with his two RBI.

Fifth-year shortstop Nick Nevins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) also produced two RBI on Saturday with two doubles.

Le Moyne redshirt-junior right-handed pitcher Jordan Goldmann (Encinitas, Calif./Canyon Crest Academy/Palomar College/Grossmont College) earned his first win of the season after allowing four earned runs with four strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work, then freshman right-hander Billy Canale (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna) recorded his first career save after tallying eight strikeouts with zero walks and one run allowed in 3.0 innings in relief.

Canale began his relief appearance by striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh.

Senior left fielder Jason Boule (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy), graduate first baseman Dewey Roden (Sherrill, N.Y./Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), and freshman second baseman Mike Whelehan (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton) contributed one hit, one RBI and one run scored each during the series finale, and all three players recorded at least one hit in all three games of the series in Brookville.

The big inning:
LIU junior right-handed starting pitcher Jared Hughes limited the Dolphins to two hits, one walk and zero runs through the first four innings, then Le Moyne strung together six consecutive hits against Hughes with one out in the top of the fifth to produce six runs and take a 6-5 lead.

Boule reached base on an error to begin the top of the fifth, then with out in the inning her was moved to third base by a Whelehan single up the middle.

During the next bat, center fielder Zach Brush (New York Mills, N.Y./Utica Notre Dame) hammered a ground ball past the diving LIU first baseman to drive in Boule and give the Dolphins their first run of the inning.

Roden then drove in Whelehan with a single to right field, then Nevins swung at the first pitch he saw and ripped a double into the left-center field gap. Brush scored easily on the play, and Roden hustled around the base baths so score all the way from first on a close play at the plate.

Fureno then fell behind 1-2 in the count during the next at bat before working the count full and pulverizing the 3-2 pitch and sending it over the left-center field wall to give Le Moyne a 6-5 advantage.

Le Moyne third baseman Adam Sullivan (Syracuse, N.Y./Marcellus) then pulled a single into right field during the next at bat after working a 3-2 count, which led to a pitching change for the Sharks.

LIU reliever RJ Latkowski entered the game and got the final two outs to end the inning and prevent further damage.

Goldmann then recorded a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fifth, and concluded his outing with another 1-2-3 inning in the sixth.

Le Moyne increased its lead to 7-5 in the top of the seventh as Boule lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Fureno. The throw from right field was on time to get Fureno at home, but the senior catcher avoided the tag and touched the plate with his left hand.

Canale entered the game to begin the bottom of the seventh and struck out the side. Canale then recorded another strikeout during a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the eighth, then Le Moyne extended its lead to 8-5 in the top of the ninth when right fielder Wyatt Patchett (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva) hustled out an infield single with two outs in the inning to drive in freshman Jack Cannon (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder), who pinch ran for Fureno.

LIU got a run back in the bottom of the ninth when left fielder Matthew McGurk led off the frame with a solo home run, but Canale struck out the next two hitters looking, then struck out another batter with a runner on first to secure the 8-6 victory and earn his first collegiate save.

The Dolphins (4-10) have now recorded one win in all four of their weekend series so far this season. Le Moyne will return to action next weekend with a three-game conference series at Delaware State University on Friday, Saturday, Sunday.