NEWBURGH, NY – After a combined 59 hits and 42 runners left on base in Sunday's double-header, the College of Mount Saint Vincent emerged with a pair of victories over Mount Saint Mary College. The Dolphins won the first game, 11-8, and the second game in extra innings, 11-10 to improve to 16-12 overall and to 9-5 in the Skyline. The Blue Knights dropped to 22-8 overall and 8-6 in the conference.

In the nightcap scheduled for seven innings, the teams entered the sixth inning tied at eight. With a runner on a second and two outs in the bottom half of the frame, sophomore Billy Casey (Marlboro, N.Y.) smacked a double to score the go-ahead run. The Blue Knights brought in junior Chris Gage (Saugerties, N.Y.) in an attempt to close the door on the Dolphins in the top of the seventh.

After the leadoff man grounded out to second base, Gage hit the next batter. Sophomore Vinny Todino (Eastchester, N.Y.) made the Blue Knights pay, roping a triple down the right field line to tie the game at nine. The next batter, sophomore James Labartino (Holbrook, N.Y.), singled up the middle to score Todino and give the Dolphins the lead.

The Blue Knights wouldn't quit though, and when senior Brian Visconti (Newburgh, N.Y.) doubled with one out in the bottom of the seventh, the game was back on. With two outs, sophomore Louis Peisel (Brewster, N.Y.) lined a single to center field that scored Visconti from second and tied the game at ten.

A scoreless eighth inning ensued and then Mount Saint Vincent broke the tie in the top of the ninth. Labartino singled and stole second with one out. Then, with two outs, senior Mike Ruckdaschel (East Meadow, N.Y.) served a single to right field that scored the runner from second.

The Blue Knights went quietly in the bottom of the ninth, managing only a single by junior Mike Umphlett (North Stonington, Conn.) in the frame. The Dolphins celebrated the victory as senior Matthew Germann (Islip, N.Y.) grounded to shortstop to end the game.

Junior Joe Blackford (Stewartsville, N.J.) worked three innings of relief to collect the victory for the Dolphins. Freshman Ben Shortslef (Sterling, N.Y.) took the loss for the Blue Knights.

Peisel finished the game 4-for-4 with 3 RBIs and a run scored. Visconti and Umphlett each had three hits for the Blue Knights.

In the opener, the Mount carried an 8-6 lead into the top of the eighth inning. The Blue Knights walked four batters in the inning, however, and yielded four runs to the Dolphins in what proved to be a decisive, disastrous inning. Mount Saint Vincent recorded two runs by way of bases-loaded walks, another on an RBI groundout, and the fourth on a passed ball.

Mount Saint Mary wouldn't score in either of their last two times at the plate, leaving the bases loaded in the ninth. Junior John Olsen (Seaford, N.Y.) worked a scoreless seventh inning before their four-run eighth and picked up the win for the Dolphins. Shortslef took the loss, allowing all four runs in the eighth.
Senior Jim Marsh (Maybrook, N.Y.) led the Mount with a 3-for-5 performance and two runs scored. Umphlett was 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs.

Labartino was 4-for-6 for the Dolphins and scored four times. Sophomore Mike Pope (Massapequa, N.Y.) was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs while Ruckdaschel finished 3-for-5 with a run and three RBIs.

Mount Saint Mary will have just one day off before taking on a slate of nine games in seven days. They'll open the week at SUNY New Paltz in a 4:00 p.m. start on Tuesday.