Lehigh University Athletics
Local trio starts strong for Lehigh
3/14/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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By Clark Lampen
Of the Express-Times
The Mountain Hawks' 9-6 start has been sparked by the production from three local underclassmen.
Logan Marshall, a freshman outfielder from
"It's really difficult to put into words how well (Brendan and Logan) are doing this season," Lehigh coach Sean Leary said. "They're playing like veterans already. Both are hitting in the two, three or four holes in the lineup, which is amazing to see from a coaching standpoint."
In the last 13 years, only eight freshmen have started for Leary. Four of them have started this season for the Mountain Hawks.
McGaheran has started all 15 games, splitting time between shortstop (where he will stay in the future), second base and third base. McGaheran is batting .288, going 17-for-59 with seven RBIs, one homer and 11 runs. He leads the team with five doubles and has 25 total bases.
McGaheran was a three-time Express-Times All-Area selection and the team's outstanding senior at
During the team's
McGaheran also was responsible for the winning hit in the 10th inning of a 16-14 victory over
"Brendan and Logan have the chance to be some of the better players this program has seen," Leary said. "To say that they've come in and won't struggle to some degree at this level isn't fair, but they both started the first game of their baseball career against 16th-ranked
While Longernecker's freshman year did not quite compare to that of Marshall and McGaheran, the sophomore set-up man has made major strides since the 2006-07 season when he had a 6.49 ERA with 19 earned runs in 15 games.
In three appearances this season, Longernecker has posted a 1.80 ERA. Opponents are batting just .211 against him.
"Ken has very good stuff, he's just at a point in his career where he's hitting a hump," Leary said. "Ken is an extremely hard worker, though, He's just lacking a bit in his command right now."
Longernecker was a member of Bethlehem Catholic's two-time District 11 Class AA
championship team. A three-year starter, Longernecker was a two-time Express-Times All-Area honoree.
Lehigh's roster also includes veteran senior shortstop Liam O'Connor of
In preseason polls, the Mountain Hawks were picked to finish fifth in the Patriot League.
"I don't really focus much on those polls," Leary said. "We're focusing 90 percent of our energy right now on just playing each game well right now. As simplistic and cliché as that sounds, it's working for us so far."
Lehigh opens its 2008 home schedule on Saturday, March 15 when the Mountain Hawks welcome George Washington to the baseball field on the Goodman Campus. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday with the first pitch set for noon. On Sunday, the teams will play a single contest, also beginning at noon.
This story originally appeared in the Friday, March 14, 2008 edition of the Express-Times. Used with permission.
