Lehigh University Athletics
Saturday, March 23
Brooklyn, N.Y.
1:00:00 PM
Lehigh University
9
at
10
LIU Brooklyn
Home runs power Lehigh in doubleheader split against LIU Brooklyn
3/24/2013 12:44:00 AM | Baseball
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Senior Casey Turner and sophomore Pat Walshe smacked home runs off LIU Brooklyn pitching to help the Lehigh baseball team split a doubleheader against the Blackbirds on Saturday. The Mountain Hawks (11-9) dropped the first game 10-9 in 10 innings before prevailing 4-1 in the nightcap.
Turner's two-run blast put Lehigh on the scoreboard in the first inning of Game One, but LIU Brooklyn (3-14) answered with six runs off junior starter Jayme Edwards in the bottom half of the frame. All six of the Blackbirds' runs came on round trippers, as Pete Leonello hit a solo shot, Needham went deep following a walk to John Ziznewski and Albert Faz hit a three-run homer.
LIU Brooklyn extended its lead to 8-2 with an RBI double from Diego Perez in the third inning and another Needham homer. Like it has all season, the Lehigh offense fought back late in the game. Blackbirds reliever Tito Marrero, who started the game at first base before coming to the mound, hit four Mountain Hawk batters and walked freshman Anthony Rinaldi with the bases loaded to drive in four Lehigh runs. He also surrendered an RBI single to junior Brandon Wilt before exiting the game. The Brown and White also got consecutive RBI hits from Turner and junior Tyler Brong off Rafael Guerrero.
Brong's hit put Lehigh up 9-8 and three outs away from a victory, but junior Nick Stephens hit Ziznewski with a pitch and allowed him to advance on two wild pitches. Needham stepped to the plate with one out and tied the game with a single. Lehigh got a double from Walshe in the tenth, but could not drive him in. Sophomore Jordan Smith got only one out in the tenth inning before giving up an RBI single to left field by Chris Untereiner that drove in Perez for the winning run.
Turner went 2-for-4, including his game-tying hit in the ninth inning, to go along with two runs and three RBI. “He was definitely our best player in Game One with his all-around grit,” Lehigh head coach Sean Leary said.
Needham had four RBI to go along with two runs scored, while Faz ended up 3-for-5 at the plate.
Jakubowski earned the victory on the mound in Game One and Smith took the loss.
Untereiner had another RBI hit in the first inning to begin Game Two, but the Mountain Hawks had a two-out rally in the fifth that began with a single from junior Joe Abeln. Lehigh strung three more hits together, including a three-run home run by Walshe and an RBI single from junior Lance Kirschenbaum.
Junior starter Nick Cassell threw all seven innings to get the victory, giving up eight hits and just one earned run while striking out four. Chance Fuglister was tagged for the loss after allowing four earned runs and 10 hits in five innings.
Elson went a team-best 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored, while Jesse Brown went 2-for-3 for LIU Brooklyn.
“Every game has really been a learning experience for these guys and we've always been able to battle back until the last out is made,” Leary said.
The Mountain Hawks will play a game at Temple on Tuesday before hosting Coppin State on Wednesday. First pitch for both single games is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Baseball vs. Coppin State
Tuesday, April 29
Baseball vs. Penn
Wednesday, March 19
Baseball vs. UAlbany
Sunday, March 16
Season Preview Baseball
Thursday, February 13
