Moravian in First after Opening Round of E8 Championship
BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y. --- Moravian College fired a 306 and sits in first place by six strokes after the opening round of the 2015-16 Empire 8 Conference Championships played at Timber Banks Country Club in Baldwinsville, New York.
The Greyhounds lead defending conference champion and nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College by six strokes while Stevens Institute of Technology is third place after the opening round at 319. Susquehanna University and The University of Scranton are tied for fourth at 330.
Individually, Moravian senior Jim Maru is in first place with a two-over par round of 74 on Saturday while junior Dan Leppert is tied for third after 18 holes with a 76. Sophomore Tyler Smith, the reigning Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, sits in a tie for fifth after an opening round of 77 while sophomore Kevin Kunkle is tied for ninth with a 79 on Saturday. Rounding out the Greyhounds' line-up are junior Anthony Beltrami, who is tied for 15th with an 81, and senior Evan Dickinson, who is tied for 25th with an 85.
Fisher was paced by senior Corey Haas and freshman Jeff Palmerino. Haas is tied for third individually after a +4 first round while Palmerino sits at +6, good for a tie in seventh place. Not far behind, fellow Cardinals Christopher Salone and Ian Campbell each finished the day shooting +7, leaving them in a four-way tie for ninth.
Stevens junior Frank Szucs paced the Ducks with a 75, while freshmen Jack Doherty and Tyler Balkema shot 77 and 80 respectively. The rounds were both career-lows for the two Stevens rookies.
The second round will take place on Sunday, September 20 at the Timber Banks Country Club while the final two rounds will be played at the Hershey Country Club in April.