Lehigh University
Delaware
Mountain Hawks can't overcome early deficit
4/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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PHILADELPHIA – The Lehigh baseball team dug itself into an early hole on Tuesday night and it couldn’t recover, as the Delaware Blue Hens pulled out a 10-7 victory to win the 2010 Liberty Bell Classic championship in Citizens Bank Park. Trailing 7-2 after three innings, the Brown and White couldn’t complete a late rally to pull out the win. The Mountain Hawks are now 1-4 in the Liberty Bell Classic championship game and they drop to 14-21 (6-6) on the season. Delaware claims its seventh classic title and improves its record to 19-15 on the season.
“Delaware is a strong hitting team and it was able to jump out to a big lead,” head coach Sean Leary said. “I was proud at the way the guys fought back and everyone believed we had a chance to win until the final out of the game.”
Delaware got on the board in the top of the first when Pat Dameron singled in DJ Long after he started the inning with a double to center field.
After Lehigh went down in order in the bottom of the first, the Blue Hens struck again as Josh Dean started the inning off with a double to right center. Steve Ulaky singled to left field and Dean advanced to third off the hit. After Ulaky moved to second off a passed ball, Dave Anderson knocked in Dean with a ground out to third base. Carlos Alonso finished off the inning with a single that plated Ulaky to give the Blue Hens a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the second.
Delaware took a 5-0 lead in the top of the third and with only one out in the inning Leary went to his bullpen and brought in senior Jordan Warncke to relieve junior Kevin Mihalik. With runners on second and third, Anderson singled up the middle to bring in both runs and increase their lead to 7-0. Warncke was able to settle down and strike out Alonso to end the inning.
Lehigh got its first run of the game in the bottom of the third when junior Andrew Russell hit a sac fly to center field to score his classmate Brendan Pifer. Junior Brendan McGaheran scored the Mountain Hawks second run off an error by the Long the second baseman for the Blue Hens.
Warncke held Delaware scoreless for the next two innings until Aaron Mascoe blasted a solo home run to left field in the top of the sixth. Alonso followed him up with a single to right field and he would advance to second off an error by Warncke on the pickoff attempt. Long singled up the middle to score Alonso for the Blue Hens ninth run of the game.
The Mountain Hawks got a run back in the bottom of the inning when junior Billy Goldman knocked in his classmate Jim McConlogue with a sac fly to center field.
Lehigh put on its rally cap in the bottom of the eighth by scoring four runs with two outs. Pinch hitter Alex Jacquez singled in junior Sean Killeen to knock in the first run of the inning. The Mountain Hawks were able to load the bases and McGaheran delivered with a bases clearing double to right center.
Leading 9-7 in the top of the ninth, the Blue Hens added a final insurance run when Ryan Cuneo hit a deep home run to right field. Brian Rorick came in and pitched the final 1.1 innings to get the save.
Kyle Thomas picked up the win on the mound for Delaware, as he pitched two innings and struck out two. Mihalik took the loss for Lehigh, going 2.1 innings, allowing eight hits and five earned runs.
18 different Mountain Hawks saw action in tonight’s game, which allowed the opportunity for several different players to contribute.
“We used so many players because it helped change the momentum in our favor,” Leary said. “All the guys have helped us get to this point and they’re all capable of coming in and making an impact.”
Lehigh won’t get any rest, as its right back at it tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. in Philadelphia against Penn. Fans can listen live at Lehighsports.com with Mike Lederer on the call.
Lehigh - Delaware Post-Game Extra
