#4 Le Moyne (22-24, 22-11 NEC) vs #1 LIU (27-20, 26-7 NEC)
Info: Thursday, May 21 | 12:00 p.m. | Augusta, N.J. | Skylands Stadium
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: https://necsports.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary
LIU Links: Schedule | Roster | News
 
Augusta, N.J. — The Le Moyne baseball team travels to New Jersey for the NEC Championship weekend, beginning with a matchup with #1 LIU on Thursday at 12:00 p.m. at Skylands Stadium.
 
NEC Championship Tournament:
The 2026 NEC Baseball championship is a double-elimination tournament consisting of the top four teams based on regular season conference winning percentage, with all games hosted at Skylands Stadium in Augusta, N.J. The four teams represented in this year's tournament are #1 LIU, #2 FDU, #3 Wagner, and #4 Le Moyne. The winner of the tournament will advance to the NCAA tournament. However, because Le Moyne College is currently in the NCAA Division I reclassification process, the Dolphins are not eligible for NCAA tournament play. If Le Moyne wins the NEC Championship, the conference's automatic NCAA tournament berth would instead go to the tournament runner-up.
 
Season Summary:
Le Moyne finished the regular season with a 22-24 record overall, including a 22-11 record in NEC play, placing them in fourth place in the conference standings. The Dolphins clinched their first conference tournament berth as a member of the Northeast Conference and their first appearance in postseason play at the Division I level since the 2007 campaign.
 
Despite going winless during non-conference action, the Dolphins won 10 of their 11 conference series, making them the only NEC team to reach double-digit conference series wins during the 2026 campaign.
 
The Dolphins took two out of three in their NEC-opening series against Delaware State from Mar. 8-9, before earning a series victory over New Haven from Mar. 13-15.
 
Le Moyne was swept in a three-game set by Wagner from Mar. 20-22, and recorded a non-conference loss to Binghamton on Mar. 24.
 
The Dolphins then earned victories in each of their next eight series, beginning with a home-opening series win over Coppin State from Mar. 28-29. Le Moyne then took two out of three at LIU from Apr. 2-4, and won two games to one over Mercyhurst at home, capped off by a walk-off double by freshman outfielder Nick Kriegelstein (Farmington, N.Y./Victor) in game three.
 
Le Moyne then registered a series win at home over FDU from Apr. 17-19, before taking two out of three games at Norfolk State from Apr. 24-25.
 
The Dolphins lost to Binghamton in non-conference action at home, before winning two out of three in a series with Stonehill from May 1-3. They then earned their first sweep of the season over Maryland Eastern Shore in the final home series of the season from May 8-9, capped off by a walk-off victory on Senior Day.

Le Moyne completed non-conference action with a loss to the University at Albany on May 12 before closing out the regular season with a road sweep of CCSU from May 15-16, clinching its NEC Tournament berth with the game one victory.
 
Stat Leaders:
Through the conclusion of regular season play, junior right fielder Jack Cannon (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) led the Dolphins and the NEC with a .437 batting average, 83 total hits and 51 stolen bases. His 51 stolen bases set a new single-season program stolen base record, passing Kyle Brown ('04), who stole 42 bases in the 2004 campaign. Cannon also registered team-bests with a 1.200 OPS and .700 slugging percentage, 10 home runs, 63 runs batted in, 59 runs scored and 18 doubles.
 
Senior center fielder Paulie Goodness (Palmyra, N.Y./Palmyra-Macedon/Finger Lakes C.C.) led the Dolphins and finished third in the NEC with a .514 on-base percentage and finished second on the team with a .993 OPS, a 387 batting average, 63 hits, 49 runs scored, 40 stolen bases, 31 walks and 10 doubles.
 
Senior shortstop Adam Sullivan (Syracuse, N.Y./Marcellus) led the team with 38 walks, finished second with a .503 slugging percentage, seven home runs, 48 runs batted in, and finished third with a .923 ops and nine doubles.
 
Redshirt junior right-handed starting pitcher AJ Petraitis (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) led the Dolphins with 14 games started, 77.0 innings pitched, 53 strikeouts and five wins on the mound. His 68.1 innings pitched during conference action were third among all NEC pitchers.
 
Senior right-handed relief pitcher Luke Connors (Brampton, Ontario/Heart Lake/Monroe Community College) led the team with 19 games pitched, five saves, a 5.86 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. Connors finished second among qualified pitchers with a 3.32 ERA in NEC action and his five saves ranked third.
 
Scouting LIU:
The Sharks completed the 2026 season with a 27-20 record overall, including 26-7 in NEC action, which was the best mark in the conference.
 
LIU recorded six series sweeps this season, which was the most among NEC programs, and finished winning 14 of their last 15 NEC games.
 
After going winless in their first seven non-conference games to begin the season, LIU swept Norfolk State in the NEC-opening series from Mar. 7-8.
 
The Sharks swept CCSU on the road from Mar. 20-22, before taking two of three games at Maryland Eastern Shore.
 
After taking two of three from New Haven and defeating Iona at home in non-conference action, the Sharks then swept their opponent in four straight series. They swept Coppin State on the road from Apr. 17-19, before taking all three from Delaware State at home from April 24-25. After losing in non-conference action to Army, the Sharks won six straight games, first taking three games on the road against Mercyhurst from May 1-3, and sweeping Stonehill in their final home series of the season from May 8-10. 
 
LIU closed out the regular season with a series victory over FDU from May 14-16, where they secured their second straight NEC regular season title with their victory in game two.
 
The Sharks fell at home to Le Moyne in their lone series of the regular season from April 2-4. The Dolphins took the first two games, including a 14-inning victory in game one, before LIU claimed a 12-9 victory in game three.
 
Redshirt-junior outfielder Nick Matson led the Sharks with six runs batted in on five hits, including a home run, in the three-game set against the Dolphins. His .359 batting average leads the team. Junior shortstop Elijah Fairchild went 7 for 14 in the series while driving in three runs. His .353 batting average is second on the team and his 61 hits ranks third. Senior catcher Joseph Durso and senior outfielder Cord Dobrinski each homered in the series. Each of them have seven home runs on the season, which is tied for second most on the team.
 
Redshirt-junior right-hander Nicholas Finarelli pitched 7.0 innings, allowing one run and striking out a season-high 11 batters and earning a no decision, in the loss to Le Moyne on Apr. 2. His 4.28 ERA in NEC action ranks ninth and his eight wins this season is the most among NEC pitchers. The Dolphins can expect to face him on Thursday.
 
Looking forward: Wagner and FDU
Le Moyne will take on either FDU or Wagner on Friday, with its opponent determined by the results of games one and two.
 
FDU finished second in the NEC standings after going 32-18-1 overall, including 25-8 in NEC competition.

The Knights recorded five series sweeps during the 2026 campaign and put together a season-high nine-game winning from Mar. 13-24, which included sweeps over conference foes Coppin State and New Haven, both of which came at home.
 
The Dolphins defeated FDU at home two games to one in their only regular-season matchup, which took place Apr. 17-19. The Knights hit nine home runs in the series, including seven in their 19-13 win in game two.
 
Sophomore outfielder Travis Stroh led FDU with nine RBIs on five hits, including three home runs, in the three-game series with the Dolphins. His 14 home runs this season ranks third on the squad. Sophomore outfielder Hunter Ray added three runs batted in on four hits, including a home run. He leads the NEC with 28 home runs and 75 RBIs, leads the Knights with 77 total hits, and is second on the team with a 1.265 OPS.
 
Senior right-handed starting pitcher/first baseman Jeremy Cheeseman struck out three batters in 4.0 innings of work in game two. Cheeseman also added a home run and a double in the series. On offense, he leads the NEC with a 1.273 OPS and is second on the team with 15 home runs. On the mound, he leads the Knights with 64.1 innings pitched and his 13 games started are the most on the squad. The Dolphins would likely face Cheeseman if matched up with FDU on Friday.
 
Wanger finished third in the conference standings, going 28-22 overall and 23-10 in NEC action.
 
The Seahawks won 14 of their last 17 games, including a season-best nine-game win streak from Apr. 18 to May 1. They closed out the regular season with a series win on the road over Mercyhurst from May 14-15. 


Wagner swept Le Moyne at home in their series this season from Mar. 20-22. Junior outfielder Diego Tavarez led the Seahawks with five RBIs on six hits in the three-game set. His .937 OPS ranks third on the squad. Sixth-year outfielder Lukas Torres went 6-for-10 in the series, while adding three walks. He leads the team and is second in the NEC with a .419 batting average and 80 total hits. Junior infielder Joseph Mennella added three hits, including a home run, and walked four times. His 1.108 OPS leads the team, and his 13 home runs and 63 RBIs are both best on the squad.
 
Redshirt-sophomore right-handed starting pitcher Joseph Steventon allowed one run and struck out a season-high eight batters in 7.0 innings of work in the game two win over Le Moyne. His 4.88 ERA and 52 strike outs are both second best on the team. The Dolphins could expect to see Steventon on the mound in a possible matchup on Friday.
 
What's next?:
If Le Moyne wins on Thursday, the next game will be on Friday at 4:00 p.m. against the winner of the FDU and Wagner game. If the Dolphins lose on Thursday, their next matchup will be on Friday at 12:00 p.m. against the loser of the FDU and Wagner game.