Lehigh and Lafayette split final two games of series

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh and Lafayette split a pair of games on Monday afternoon at the baseball field on the Goodman Campus. Behind a stellar pitching performance from Joe Matteo, the Mountain Hawks took game one 3-1 before being handed an 11-0 loss in the nightcap. Following Monday’s action, Lehigh is now 22-23 overall and 11-5 in the Patriot League, as the Mountain Hawks remain in first place. The Leopards now sit at 18-21 overall and 8-8 in league action.

In game one, Matteo (now 5-3 overall) threw a brilliant three-strikeout complete game to lead the Mountain Hawks to victory. Matteo allowed just the one earned run, while scattering six hits in his seven innings of action. Lafayette touched up Matteo for its lone run in the first inning when Ian Law led the game off with a single and later scored on a Kevin Leasure single to left field.

The Mountain Hawks would get on the board with a single run in the bottom of the third when Jeff Benfield led off with a single and later scored on a single by sophomore Joe Ercolano. Lehigh then took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the bottom go the sixth. The rally started when Matt Geiger got on with an infield single and Matt McBride drew a walk. Senior Andrew Smith came up and roped a double, scoring Geiger. Nick Bet followed with a sacrifice fly to center field, giving the Brown and White a 3-1 lead. Lehigh recorded eight hits in the win, while Lafayette had six. Neither team committed an error.

Lafayette again jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second game, but Lehigh was able to hold the Leopards in check from there, until the fifth inning, when the Leopards plated four. A Lehigh error gave Lafayette one runner on, with one out, while a single and another Mountain Hawk miscue in the field plated the first of the four runs. A double by Joe Ezekiel later in the inning plated Ian Law, putting the visitors in front 5-0.

The Leopards would add two more runs in the sixth, three in the seventh and a single run in the eighth to avoid the sweep by Lehigh. Kevin Reese (3-1 overall) went all nine innings in game two for the Leopards, as he struck out four Mountain Hawks and allowed just four hits. Billy Alec (2-3) took the loss for the Brown and White, but allowed only one earned run on the day. Ercolano went two for three at the plate for Lehigh in the losing effort.

Lehigh will be right back in action on Tuesday afternoon when the Mountain Hawks play host to St. Joe’s in a single game at the baseball field located on the Goodman Campus. First pitch is set for 3:30.

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Lehigh and Lafayette split final two games of series

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