Syracuse, N.Y. — Junior third baseman
Ethan Farina (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendowa/Saint Rose) scored from second base on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap off a come-from-behind walk-off victory and series sweep for the Le Moyne baseball team over University of Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday afternoon at Dick Rockwell Field on Senior Day, 16-15.
With the victory and Norfolk State's loss to FDU, the Spartans are eliminated from NEC Tournament contention, while Le Moyne lowers its magic number to clinch the final berth in the championship to a combination of two Le Moyne wins (three games left) and Stonehill losses (four games left).
All nine players in the starting lineup had at least one hit, six of which recorded RBIs, led by junior first baseman
Cooper Romich (
North Chili, N.Y./Churchville-Chili), who drove in three runs on three hits, including a three-run go-ahead homer in the bottom of the eighth inning for his fourth home run of the season. Junior right fielder
Jack Cannon (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) also drove in three runs on two hits, including a two-run shot for his team-leading 10th home run of the season, walked twice and added a stolen base. Cannon's three runs batted in gave him 59 on the season, which is the fourth-most RBIs in a season by a Dolphin in program history. Senior shortstop
Adam Sullivan (
Syracuse, N.Y./Marcellus) and junior second baseman
Mike Whelehan (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton) each drove in two runs on three hits, and Farina recorded two RBIs, walked once, stole two bases and scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Freshman right-hander
Jack Molini (Mastic, N.Y./William Floyd) made the start for Le Moyne, striking out two batters over 2.2 innings of work. Senior right-hander
Luke Connors (
Brampton, Ontario/Heart Lake/Monroe Community College) pitched 3.1 innings in relief of Molini, allowing three runs and striking out two batters. Redshirt sophomore right-hander
Eric Swienecicki (
Lancaster, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute) allowed two runs over an inning of work. Redshirt freshman right-hander
Mitchell Earle (
Cortland, N.Y. Homer) finished the final 2.0 innings on the mound, allowing three runs, striking out one batter and earning his second win of the season in his first appearance since March 13.
Centerfielder Julian Jimenez was hit by a pitch to begin the game. Second baseman Ansel Carson then reached second base on a fielding error and Jimenez scored on the play, giving the Hawks an early 1-0 lead.
Shortstop Jonathan Rodriguez singled to left field to lead off the top of the second inning. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before first baseman Diego Aponte lined an RBI single into center field to make it 2-0. An RBI double by designated hitter/pitcher Henry Clausell later in the frame scored Aponte to make it a 3-0 game.
Sullivan and Romich singled to begin the bottom of the second inning. A fielder's choice allowed sophomore catcher
Robert Wegrzyn (
North Tonawanda, N.Y./Niagara-Wheatfield) to reach first and putting Sullivan on third. A balk later in the inning allowed Sullivan to score, making it 3-1, and Wegrzyn to advance to second base.
Aponte lifted a two-out, two-run homer over the right field wall in the top of the third to make it a 5-1 game. The Hawks then loaded the bases on three straight walks and a two-run single into left field by catcher Jonathan Gonzalez gave UMES a 7-1 lead.
Sullivan and Wegrzyn singled and Romich reached on a fielding error to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning for the Dolphins. Farina then reached on a fielder's choice at third base, which allowed Sullivan to score to make it 7-2. Freshman left fielder
Nick Kriegelstein (
Farmington, N.Y./Victor) then walked to reload the bases, and a balk allowed the runners to advance, scoring Wegrzyn to make it a 7-3 game.
Whelehan singled through the left side to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Cannon then sent a two-run shot over the right field wall, his 10th home run of the season, to make it a 7-5 game. Sullivan followed with a single and Romich was hit by a pitch before a groundout moved the runners up to second and third base. Junior designated hitter
Chaz Anthony (
Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score Sullivan before Farina lined an RBI single into left field to tie the game at 7-7.
Gonzalez drove a one-out solo shot to left center field in the top of the sixth to give the Hawks an 8-7 lead. Left fielder Joshua Caldwell then doubled down the left field line before right fielder/pitcher Darrius Brown lined a two-run homer over the left field wall to make it a 10-7 game.
Cannon worked a one-out walk in the bottom of the sixth inning. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and stole third base before Sullivan lifted a sacrifice fly to right center to make it 10-8.
Clausell lined a two-out two-run shot to right field in the top of the seventh to make it a 12-8 game.
Kriegelstein and Whelehan singled to put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning for the Dolphins. Cannon then doubled down the right field line to bring Kriegelstein home and make it a 12-9 game.
Third baseman Marco Davila hit a two-out two-run homer to left center field in the top of the eighth inning to give the Hawks a 14-9 advantage.
Singles by Anthony and Kriegelstein and a walk by senior center fielder
Paulie Goodness (
Palmyra, N.Y./Palmyra-Macedon/Finger Lakes Community College) loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth. Whelehan then lined a two-run single through the left side to make it a 14-11 game. Cannon followed with a walk to reload the bases before Sullivan lifted a sacrifice fly to right center field to score Goodness and make it 14-12. Romich then lined a three-run homer over the left field wall, his fourth home run of the season, to give the Dolphins their first lead of the game, 15-14.
Jimenez hit a solo shot over the right field wall on the first pitch of the top of the ninth inning to tie it up at 15-15.
Farina walked to lead off the bottom of the ninth and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Kriegelstein. A wild pitch then got past the catcher and rolled to the backstop, and aggressive baserunning allowed Farina to score all the way from second base to complete the walk-off 16-15 victory and series sweep over University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Le Moyne will return to action on Tuesday at University of Albany at 3:00 p.m.
