Saturday, March 15
Teaneck, N.J.
11:00 AM
Lehigh University
5-6
3
vs
4
New Jersey Institute of Technology
4-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Lehigh
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
8
0
NJIT
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
2
4
6
0
Mountain Hawks fall to FDU and NJIT at Round Robin Tourney
3/15/2014 5:09:00 PM | Baseball
TEANECK, N.J. – The Lehigh baseball team fell 4-3 to NJIT and 12-4 to Fairleigh Dickinson Saturday at the Fairleigh Dickinson Round Robin Tournament. The two losses drop the Mountain Hawks to 5-7 on the season.
After a scoreless first inning in the day's first game against NJIT, junior Connor Faust drew a walk that was followed by a single to left center from freshman Patrick Donnelly in the top of the second. Junior Tim McKay sent a shot up the middle to score Faust and move Donnelly to third. McKay caught the Highlanders off guard as he stole second, allowing Donnelly to score and put the Mountain Hawks up 2-0 as the second inning came to a close.
Back-to-back doubles to left center from junior John Elson and senior Joe Abeln added another Lehigh run in the third as the Mountain Hawks took a 3-0 lead. Burke took over from there, retiring the first 14 batters he faced before hitting a batter and allowing a single in the fifth. Burke kept the shutout alive by striking out Macmillan.
The Highlanders were able to capitalize in the next inning, however, as they loaded the bases with one out. Burke struck out the next batter, but NJIT's DJ Roche ripped a two-run single to centerfield to cut Lehigh's lead to 3-2 as the sixth inning came to a close.
Senior Nick Cassell came into relieve Burke in the seventh inning and retired the first seven batters he faced, while striking out four. The Highlanders put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the ninth as NJIT's Cody Kramer doubled down the right field line to tie the game at three. Cassell fanned another batter, but a walk-off single to right field from Teddy Bicker gave NJIT the 4-3 win.
Cassell suffered the loss, while Burke finished with a line of two earned runs on three hits in six innings of work with a total of seven strikeouts. NJIT's Ian Bentley was credited with the win after allowing a scoreless final inning from the Mountain Hawks.
In the day's second game, Fairleigh Dickinson got three runs on the board through the first two innings. Lehigh answered in the fourth with an RBI single from junior Connor Faust and an RBI base hit through the right side from freshman Jacen Nalesnik to cut the Knights' lead to 3-2.
The Knights extended their lead to 7-2 in the bottom half of the frame following an RBI groundout and a three-run homer from Riley Moonan. Senior Joey McNamera came in to throw two innings of scoreless relief before Lehigh was able to push two runs across the plate in the seventh on RBIs from sophomore Mackey Price and freshman David Young. The FDU bats stayed hot, however, as the Knights claimed the 12-4 win.
Lehigh starter Kevin Long suffered the loss after allowing three earned runs on six hits in four innings. FDU's starter Brendan Butler claimed the win.
McKay finished the day 3-for-5 at the plate, while five different Mountain Hawks drove in runs in the two games combined.
Lehigh resumes action at the FDU Round Robin Tournament Sunday with an 11 a.m. game against the Knights and a 2 p.m. contest against NJIT.
Like Lehigh baseball on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: BENTLEY (1-1)
L: Cassell, Nick (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Elson, John 1 ; Abeln, Joe 1 ; McKay, Tim 1
RBI: Abeln, Joe 1 ; McKay, Tim 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Elson, John 1 ; Faust, Connor 1 ; Donnelly, Patrick 1
SB: Donnelly, Patrick 2 ; McKay, Tim 1
CS: Abeln, Joe 1 ; Wilt, Brandon 1
Batting:
2B: KRAMER 1
RBI: BICKERT 1 ; ROCHE 2 ; KRAMER 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BICKERT 1 ; WECKERLE 1 ; ROCHE 1 ; EMMETT 1
HBP: BOUCK 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
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
