Saturday, March 1
Port Charlotte, Fla.
11:00 AM
Lehigh University
1-3
1
vs
8
Chicago State
4-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Chicago State
0
0
1
0
3
0
2
1
1
8
11
1
Lehigh
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
11
4
Lehigh responds with 5-4 win over Western Michigan after falling to Chicago State
3/1/2014 10:01:00 PM | Baseball
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. –The Lehigh baseball team bounced back from an 8-1 loss to Chicago State Saturday morning to claim a 5-4 win over Western Michigan in the day's second game at the Snowbird Classic. Tied at four in the eighth inning, an RBI triple from junior Tim McKay scored the go-ahead Lehigh run to help capture the Mountain Hawks' second victory of the season. With Saturday's split, the Mountain Hawks move to 2-3 on the season.
"The team really bounced back in the second game and that's great to see especially since this was our first day playing outside since last weekend," said head coach Sean Leary. "There were 12 to 15 guys who made positive contributions in the second game, whether it was offensively, defensively or on the mound. It's great to see that balanced effort and we're really glad to get the result."
Western Michigan (2-7) got on the board first in the day's second game as the Broncos' Brett Sunde was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Lehigh starter Mike Burke bounced back to record the last out and strand three Broncos on base and limit the damage as Western Michigan held a 1-0 lead. The Broncos struck again in the third inning with an RBI double from Caleb Catton to take a 2-0 advantage.
Back-to-back singles from seniors Joe Abeln and Tyler Brong led off the fourth inning for the Mountain Hawks. Freshman Jacen Nalesnik put down a successful sacrifice bunt to advance both runners before classmate John Scarr singled through the right side to score Abeln. Freshman Connor Donovan followed with another single to right center to bring home Brong as the Mountain Hawks tied the game at two.
Lehigh tacked on one more run in the fifth on an RBI single from Brong that scored sophomore Mike Garzillo to take a 3-2 advantage heading into the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore Kevin Long came on to relieve Burke on the mound in the fifth as the Broncos had the bases loaded with two outs. Long kept the Mountain Hawks out of trouble with a Western Michigan fly-out as the Broncos stranded three on base.
Western Michigan added two in the next inning, however, following a Lehigh error that allowed two Bronco runs to cross the plate as Western Michigan took a 4-3 lead.
Senior Brandon Wilt singled in the seventh and worked his way to third base following a Bronco error and a balk. Abeln followed with a single up the middle to score Wilt and tie the game at four after six and a half innings.
With two outs and one on in the eighth inning, McKay ripped a triple down the left field line that scored freshman Matt Kozemchak for the go-ahead run. Senior Nick Cassell took the mound in the eighth and allowed just one Bronco hit. As Lehigh held a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth, Cassell retired the side in order to secure the Mountain Hawk victory and record his first save of the season.
Long was credited with the win, while Burke finished with a line of seven hits and two runs in 4.2 innings. Western Michigan relief pitcher Gabe Berman suffered the loss after allowing Lehigh's go-ahead run in the eighth inning.
Abeln went 4-for-5 at the plate in the win with one RBI. All five runs were driven in by different Lehigh players in the balanced offensive effort.
The Mountain Hawks couldn't get the bats going in the first contest of the day as Lehigh fell 8-1 to Chicago State (4-6). Chicago State broke a scoreless tie in the third inning after a Lehigh throwing error gave the Cougars their first run. The Mountain Hawks threatened in the fourth inning with runners on second and third with two outs, but a Lehigh ground out ended the inning and keep the Chicago State lead at 1-0.
The Cougars scored three runs on four hits in the fifth inning and added another two runs in the seventh as Lehigh struggled to get on the scoreboard. Trailing 7-0 in the eighth inning, back-to-back singles from Brong and junior John Elson were followed by a Connor Faust walk to load the bases with no outs. Nalesnik grounded out to first, but it was enough to score Brong and put the Mountain Hawks on the board. Lehigh couldn't get any more runners across the plate, however, as the Cougars claimed an 8-1 win and their fourth victory in the last five games.
Lehigh starter Nick Stephens suffered the loss after allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits in five innings. Chicago State starter Andrew Wellwerts was credited with the win after shutting out the Mountain Hawks through 6.1 innings. Elson went 3-for-4 at the plate in the loss.
After a day off Sunday, the Mountain Hawks will resume action at the Snowbird Classic Monday with games against St. Bonaventure (10:30 a.m.) and Western Michigan (2:30 p.m.).
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wellwerts, A (1-2)
L: Stephens, Nick (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Romanin, Mat 1
RBI: Davis, Evan 1 ; Romanin, Mat 2 ; Matheson, Ch 2
SH: Russell, Jul 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Patterson, J 1 ; Davis, Evan 2 ; Romanin, Mat 2 ; Matheson, Ch 1 ; Hunt, Sanfor 1 ; Panayiotou 1
SB: Davis, Evan 1
HBP: Davis, Evan 1 ; Russell, Jul 1
Batting:
RBI: Nalesnik, Jacen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brong, Tyler 1
CS: Elson, John 1
HBP: Pacchioli, Justin 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
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