May 13, 2006
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Le Moyne senior shortstop Mike Affronti hit a solo home run in the opener and a three-run shot in the nightcap as the Dolphins swept a MAAC doubleheader from Marist 3-1, 7-5 at Dick Rockwell Field. The league-leading Dolphins (32-12, 17-5 MAAC) have won 10 consecutive MAAC games and with the sweep have clinched a spot in the four-team MAAC Championship tournament.
Le Moyne used three solo home runs and another strong pitching performance to take the first game. After junior third baseman Pat Feeney (New City, N.Y.) doubled home the first run in the top of the sixth as Marist (21-27, 13-9 MAAC) to give Marist 1-0 lead, Affronti tied the game at one with a solo blast to left center. Junior centerfielder Ben Gaal made it back-to-back home runs with a solo blast to center that made it 2-1. Gaal leads the Dolphins with 11 home runs this season. Freshman Mike Brown tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh with his first career home run.
Junior Bobby Blevins improved to 9-2 with a seven-strikeout performance in the opener. He allowed three hits and one run before giving way to senior southpaw A.J. Lindsey. Lindsey struck out four and did not allow a hit over the final two and 1/3 innings for his seventh save of the season.
Senior first baseman Keith Connors led off the bottom of the first with a home run in game two, but Marist answered with five runs in the top of the third to take a 5-1 lead. Senior shortstop Andy Kiriakedes (Great Barrington, Mass.) hit a solo home run and junior designated hitter Justin Lepore (Madison, Conn.) highlighted the inning with a grand slam home run to right.
Le Moyne came back with five runs of its own in the bottom half of the third. Sophomore Stephen Crawford (Webster, N.Y.) doubled home two runs and Affronti put the Dolphins up 6-5 with a towering three-run home run to left center.
Phil St. Amant (Brockport, N.Y.) knocked in an insurance run in the sixth. Connors, Andy Parrino (Brockport, N.Y.) and Jamie Rose (Hornell, N.Y.) had two hits each.
Despite allowing a season-high five runs, Le Moyne starter T.J. Sheridan (Syracuse, N.Y.) struck out seven for his seventh win of the season. Ryan Woods (Jacksonville, Fla.) struck out two and did not allow a hit over the final two innings to equal Lindsey with his seventh save of the season.
Le Moyne's sweep clinches a spot in the four-teaThe Dolpm MAAC Championship which will be contested May 25-27 in Fishkill, N.Y. The two teams finish off the series with a single nine-inning game on Sunday at noon.
