HAVERHILL, Mass. – Junior right-hander Tom Muratore (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) improved to 3-0 against New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) opponents as the Lynx opened a three-game series against Southern Vermont College with an 8-2 victory, Friday evening.
Earning his fifth overall victory of the season, Muratore baffled Mountaineer batters tossing eight innings allowing two runs – only one earned – on five hits while striking out a season-high eight. Junior right-hander Jeff Heinz (Portsmouth, N.H.) came on and tossed a perfect ninth inning to close out the game for the Lynx.
The Lynx took advantage of two Mountaineer errors to push across two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore second baseman Vincent Taliercio (Valley Stream, N.Y.) and first year leftfielder Steven DePalma (Albertson, N.Y.) began the inning reaching on back-to-back errors. Two batters later Southern Vermont starter Joshua Hay uncorked a wild pitch which brought home Taliercio for the game's first run. First year rightfielder Will Rhone (North Haven, Conn.) followed up driving in DePalma with the second run to give the Lynx the 2-0 lead.
DePalma tacked on an insurance run the following inning. The New York native ripped a two-out triple then scored their third run on wild pitch to give the Lynx the 3-0 advantage. It was all Muratore needed.
Muratore was brilliant on the bump for the Lynx as he opened the game retiring the first four batters he faced before giving up a single to first baseman Anthony LaBella in the second inning. But LaBella was quickly erased as Muratore fielded his position well, getting second baseman Noah DuBois to hit a chopper back to the mound for the 1-6-3 double-play.
The Mountaineers took advantage of an infield error by the Lynx in the top of the eighth and finally break up the string of zeros on the board. Southern Vermont scored twice in the frame but that is all they were able to get as Muratore got LaBella to ground out to third to end the inning.
Hay took the loss for Southern Vermont allowing five runs – only two of them earned – on eight this while striking out five and walking four in six innings.
Lesley improves to 5-1 in conference and 13-8 overall while Southern Vermont drops to 4-15 on the season and 2-2 in NECC action. The two teams will be back in action tomorrow afternoon for a double-header beginning at 2:30 p.m.