Syracuse, N.Y. — The Le Moyne College baseball team scored nine runs in the fifth inning to defeat Coppin State in its home opener Saturday afternoon at Dick Rockwell Field, 11-1.
 
Five different players drove in at least one run for the Dolphins, led by sophomore designated hitter Derek Diaz (White Plains, N.Y./Iona Prep) who had a career-high four hits, including three doubles, and drove in two runs. Junior second baseman Mike Whelehan (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton) drove in two runs on two hits and stole one base and junior right fielder Jack Cannon (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) also recorded two hits and drove in two runs, walked twice and stole four bases. Freshman left fielder Nick Kriegelstein (Farmington, N.Y./Victor) recorded his first collegiate RBI on a double and stole two bases.
 
Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher AJ Petraitis (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) made the start for Le Moyne, pitching 5.0 innings of work, striking out five batters, allowing one run and recording the win. Redshirt sophomore left-hander Max Danaher (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) pitched two scoreless innings in relief.
 
Center fielder Noah Hogan walked to lead off the game for Coppin State, but Petraitis struck out the next three batters to end a scoreless frame.
 
An infield single by catcher Nelson Grajales and a single to center field by shortstop Marcus Sanders gave the Eagles runners on first and third with two outs in the top of the second inning. Designated hitter Terrell Milliner then singled through the right side to score Grajales and put Coppin State ahead 1-0.
 
Diaz doubled and Whelehan singled through the left side with two outs in the bottom of the second, but the Dolphins were unable to push a runner across.

Diaz hit his second double of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
The Dolphins blew the game open with nine runs scored in the bottom of the fifth inning. The first batter was retired before senior center fielder Paulie Goodness (Palmyra, N.Y./Palmyra-Macedon Finger Lakes Community College) singled up the middle and reached third base on consecutive stolen bases. Freshman third baseman Isaac Brozon (Aurora, N.Y. Southern Cayuga) and Cannon worked back-to-back walks to load the bases and an RBI groundout by senior shortstop Adam Sullivan (Syracuse, N.Y./Marcellus) tied the game at 1-1.  Junior first baseman Cooper Romich (North Chili, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) then grounded a ball to shortstop and reached base on a throwing error, which allowed Brozon and Cannon to score and put Le Moyne ahead 3-1. Sophomore catcher Robert Wegrzyn (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Niagara-Wheatfield) was then hit by a pitch and the runners advanced to second and third base on a double steal. Diaz followed with an infield single that scored Romich to make it 4-1. Whelehan then drove in both runners on a single to make it 6-1. He advanced to second on the throw home and later reached third on a stolen base. Kriegelstein then reached on a fielding error, which allowed Whelehan to score and make it 7-1. Goodness walked and Brozon was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Cannon hit a two-run single to right field to give Le Moyne a 9-1 lead.
 
Romich walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt. Diaz then hit his third double of the game to left center to score Romich and advanced to third on the throw to the plate. The next batter was retired before Kriegelstein hit an RBI double down the right field line to make it 11-1.
 
Milliner led off the top of the seventh with a single, but Danaher retired the next three batters to secure the 11-1 victory for Le Moyne.
 
Le Moyne and Coppin State will finish the series in a doubleheader on Sunday. Game 1 is scheduled for 11:00 a.m, followed by Game 2 about 30 minutes later.