Friday, February 21
Davidson, N.C.
3:00 PM
Lehigh University
6
vs
7
Mt. St. Mary's
Lehigh falls 7-6 to Mount St. Mary’s in 12-inning heartbreaker
2/21/2014 7:42:00 PM | Baseball
DAVIDSON, N.C. – The Lehigh baseball team opened its season with a heartbreaking extra inning loss to Mount St. Mary's Friday afternoon in Davidson, N.C. Tied 4-4 heading into the ninth inning, Lehigh was able to take a 6-4 lead before the Mount matched Lehigh's two runs and sent the game into extra frames. A 12th-inning Mount run ended the contest as Lehigh was handed the season-opening loss.
"We did a lot of very good things, but unfortunately couldn't find a way to put the game away either offensively or defensively," said head coach Sean Leary. "We didn't end up with the result, but our kids are anxious to get back out there tomorrow."
Senior Joe Abeln reached base on a two-out single up the middle in the top of the first inning before classmate Tyler Brong stepped up to rip his third-career home run and give the Mountain Hawks an early 2-0 advantage.
Abeln started off the third inning with a one-out double to right center before junior John Elson smacked an RBI base hit and later advanced to second on a single through the left side from junior Connor Faust. Freshman Jacen Nalesnick roped a single through the left side to drive home Elson and knock the Mount's starting pitcher, Karl Lamont, from the game as Lehigh took a 4-0 lead.
Senior Mike Burke, Lehigh's starting pitcher, retired six of the seven batters he faced while fanning three over the next two innings, but the Mount put up three runs on four hits in the fifth to cut Lehigh's lead to one. Sophomore Kevin Long took over on the mound for the Mountain Hawks with two outs in the fifth and worked out of a bases-loaded jam to limit the damage.
The Mount capitalized on a Lehigh error to plate one more run in the sixth inning and knot the game at four. Long allowed just one hit over the next two innings to carry the tie game into the ninth.
Senior Brandon Wilt drew a walk to start off the ninth inning before junior Justin Pacchioli layed down a sacrifice bunt to advance Wilt to second. Sophomore Mike Garzillo ripped a base hit into center field to bring home Wilt and put the Mountain Hawks up 5-4. Abeln's second double of the day moved Garzillo to third and, two batters later, Elson sent up a sacrifice fly to right field to bring Garzillo home and give Lehigh the insurance run.
Senior Nick Cassell took the mound in the bottom of the ninth as the Mount's Brandon Scott reached base on a fielder's choice and eventually scored on a wild pitch. With runners on second and third, Kory Britton smacked an infield grounder that was able to drive home the tying run.
A single from Faust in the 12th inning was all the Lehigh bats could muster, as the Mount's lefty Jordan Lawson pitched lights out. A 12th-inning walk-off single to right center from the Mount's Zach Hostetter ended the contest and handed the Mountaineers a win.
Abeln finished the contest 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs. Brong and Elson each drove in a pair of runs while two other Mountain Hawks finished with two hits apiece.
Lawson was credited with the win, while Cassell suffered the loss after allowing three runs in 3.1 innings of work. Long finished his impressive outing with no earned runs and just two hits in 3.1 innings. Burke collected five strikeouts in 4.2 innings while surrendering three earned runs and seven hits.
The Mountain Hawks resume action at Davidson tomorrow afternoon as Lehigh faces Fairleigh Dickinson at 1 p.m. Lehigh wraps up the weekend against the Knights at 10 a.m. Sunday.
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