Saturday, April 20
Worcester, Mass.
2:00:00 PM
Lehigh University
1
at
3
Holy Cross
Mountain Hawks drop pair of close contests at Holy Cross
4/21/2013 3:04:00 AM | Baseball
WORCESTER, Mass. – The Lehigh baseball team (18-22, 5-9 PL) lost both games of a doubleheader against Holy Cross (20-20, 10-4 PL) on Saturday, falling 3-1 and 9-6 respectively. Senior Casey Turner hit 4-for-7 and scored four runs in the twinbill, including a steal of home in the first inning of game two. Junior Tyler Brong went a combined 5-for-6 at the plate in the two games.
The Crusaders played small ball in a tight series opener, getting their first run in the second inning on a sacrifice bunt by Nick Lovullo to take a 1-0 lead. Stephen Wadsworth hit an RBI double off junior starter Colin Gotzon and a sacrifice fly by Alex Maldonado gave the Crusaders a three-run cushion after four innings.
Lehigh picked off Evan Ocello at first base to end the fourth inning, which marked one of three times the Mountain Hawks picked him off in the two games. The Brown and White got their only run in the fifth inning of the opener after sophomore John Elson hit on a two-out RBI single off Tom Marra. Turner hit into a double play in the seventh inning, while junior Joe Abeln struck out with a runner on first to end the game. Brong was Lehigh's best hitter in game one, going 3-for-3 at the plate. Wadsworth and Ocello each went 2-for-3 with Wadsworth also scoring a run. Marra got the win and John Colella earned the save after throwing a scoreless seventh inning. Gotzon took the loss despite holding Patriot League batting leader Jordan Enos 0-for-2. Both teams combined for a 5-for-19 performance with runners in scoring position.
Lehigh kicked off the hotly contested nightcap by executing a double steal. With Elson at the plate, Abeln stole second and Turner stole home to give Lehigh a 1-0 advantage. Patrick Puentes hit an RBI double off junior Nick Cassell to tie the score in the bottom of the frame, but Lehigh responded with a pair of runs in the third inning. After sophomore Justin Pacchioli led off with a bunt single, Turner slapped an RBI triple to right center and Brong brought him home with a sacrifice fly to put Lehigh ahead 3-1.
The Crusaders battled back, scoring on a Wadsworth fielder's choice and an Elson error to tie the game. With the game still a 3-3 draw, Andrew Boyce came in to pitch for starter Chris Kono, who allowed the Mountain Hawks to load the bases with one out in the fifth. Pacchioli came home on a throwing error by Maldonado and Brong scored on a wild pitch to put Lehigh in front 5-3. Holy Cross took the lead for the remainder of the game on a two-run double from Wadsworth that came off senior Tom O'Malley in the bottom half of the frame and made it 6-5. From then on, the Crusaders scored three runs in the next two innings, while Lehigh got only one off an RBI double from Brong in the eighth.
Brong finished game two 2-for-3, while Pacchioli went 3-for-5. Ahmed had a game-high four hits and three runs scored for Holy Cross. Cassell took the loss on the mound, while Boyce got the win. Colella earned his second save in as many games by getting the final four outs.
Lehigh will face Holy Cross in another doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. Sunday before traveling to South Orange, N.J. for a 4 p.m. contest Wednesday against Seton Hall.
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