Lehigh University
Coppin State
Lehigh gets upended by Coppin State 6-5
3/31/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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ABERDEEN, Md. – The Lehigh baseball team came up one run short as it fell to the Coppin State Eagles 6-5 Wednesday night from the Ripken Complex in Aberdeen, Md. Trailing 6-3 after the fourth inning, the Mountain Hawks could only get back two more runs, as the Eagles held the Brown and White scoreless for the final four innings. With the loss Lehigh drops to 6-14 on the season, while Coppin State improves to 8-11 with the victory.
“We didn’t catch the ball well today and we had the one rough inning,” head coach Sean Leary said. “They were able to capitalize on our mistakes and we didn’t play well fundamentally tonight.”
The Eagles were able to jump out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning when Alexander Garzda crossed the plate on a throwing error by Lehigh shortstop junior Ryan Gajdos.
Gajdos was able to make up for the error in the top of the fourth when he hit a two-run single to give the Brown and White a 2-1 lead. Junior Billy Goldman added the final run of the inning for Lehigh with a sac fly to right field.
The Mountain Hawks planned on using a committee of pitchers during the game and after three innings by junior Mike Lebo it was freshman Cameron Phillips who took the mound. Coppin State was able to take advantage of the change and scored five runs in the inning.
Lehigh responded with the final two runs of the game in the top of the fifth, as junior Kevin Mihalik got things going by doubling in his classmate Jim McConlogue. Mihalik would later score off an error by the Eagles’ centerfielder.
Cipriano Garza came in during the fifth inning and finished the game for Coppin State to pick up his second win of the season. Garza pitched five innings and only allowed one hit. Taking the loss for Lehigh was Phillips, whose five runs were all unearned. Senior Ken Longernecker and sophomore Dan Ciccone came into pitch the final 4.1 innings for Lehigh.
The Brown and White finished the game with only six hits and had five costly errors in the field. Mihalik led the Mountain Hawks with two of their six hits.
The Brown and White will have only a few days to get ready for the beginning of Patriot League play.
“Obviously this was a disappointing loss, but we’re going to refocus the guys tomorrow and get them in the right mindset for Navy,” Leary commented.
Lehigh will travel to Annapolis, Md. for two doubleheaders with the Navy Midshipmen on Saturday and Sunday beginning at noon each day.
