Wednesday, April 16
Goodman Campus
1:00 PM
Lehigh University
17-14
6
vs
3
UMES
8-20
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4
5
6
7
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H
E
UMES
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0
1
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Lehigh
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6
9
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Lehigh’s seven-game win streak halted with doubleheader split
4/16/2014 7:32:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh baseball team extended its win streak to seven games with a 6-3 win over UMES in the first game of a Wednesday doubleheader before dropping the nightcap 7-3 on the Goodman Campus Baseball Field. The seven consecutive victories marked the longest Mountain Hawk win streak since March 26-April 2, 2011. Lehigh's record now stands at 18-15 overall, while UMES has a mark of 9-20.
"We had a nice win streak going and all 35 guys contributed to that," said Leary. "It was unfortunate in the second game that we didn't pitch it and catch it as well as we have been over the last two weeks. There's a lot to build on and we feel good about the positives moving into the weekend."
Freshman starting pitcher Matt Kozemchak picked up his first career win in the day's opening game before senior Nick Cassell recorded his sixth save of the season. Senior Joe Abeln went 4-for-7 at the plate in the two games combined, while freshman Connor Donovan, junior Tim McKay and senior Brandon Wilt each had 2-for-3 showings. Six different Mountain Hawks recorded stolen bases during the two contests.
"Matt Kozemchak was outstanding in game one," said Leary. "We've been excited to see him over the last few weeks. We love the way he competes, he gets out there and has a good look in his eye."
A bunt single from junior Justin Pacchioli got Lehigh started in the first before a single to left off the bat of Abeln put runners on first and second with one out. Junior Connor Faust ripped a double to left to score Lehigh's first run. A fielder's choice RBI from junior John Elson followed before a sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman John Scarr gave Lehigh a 3-0 advantage. Junior Patrick Walshe drew a walk with Elson on third and distracted the UMES fielders by getting himself into a rundown as Elson was able to score and give Lehigh a 4-0 lead at the end of the first inning.
Pacchioli put down an RBI bunt single in the second to extend Lehigh's lead to 5-0. Kozemchak retired the first seven batters he faced until the Hawks' Nick Cooper smacked a home run over the left field fence in the third. It would be the only hit Kozemchak surrendered in his five strong innings of work. Lehigh took a 6-0 lead on an RBI single to left from Wilt. UMES cut Lehigh's lead to 6-3 in the sixth on a two-run double from Byron Campbell, but Cassell sat the batters down in order in the seventh to secure Lehigh's seventh straight victory.
Kozemchak finished with a line of one run on one hit with five strikeouts and two walks in five innings. UMES starter Will Turley suffered the loss.
In the day's second game, also a seven-inning affair, UMES quickly jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the top of the second. Lehigh got two back in the bottom half of the inning following a pair of singles from Donovan and freshman Patrick Donnelly. McKay put down a perfect bunt single that scored Donnelly before sophomore Mackey Price scored Donovan on an RBI bunt.
The Mountain Hawks narrowed the UMES lead to 5-3 in the fourth when Donovan scored on a wild pitch. UMES used a five-run seventh inning to secure the 11-3 win.
Only three of UMES' 11 runs were earned, as Lehigh committed five costly errors. Mountain Hawks starter junior Nick Macaione suffered the loss, while the Hawks' Chipper Smith threw a complete seven innings to earn the win.
Lehigh hits the road this weekend to take on Navy in an important four-game Patriot League series. Doubleheaders will be played both Saturday and Sunday with first pitches set for 12 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kozemchak, Matt (1-0)
L: TURLEY,Will (1-4)
S: Cassell, Nick (6)
Batting:
2B: CAMPBELL,Byron 1
HR: COOPER,Nick 1
RBI: CAMPBELL,Byron 2 ; COOPER,Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ESCANILLA,Mike 1 ; BULL,Stephen 1 ; COOPER,Nick 1
SB: ESCANILLA,Mike 1
Batting:
2B: Faust, Connor 1
RBI: Pacchioli, Justin 1 ; Faust, Connor 1 ; Elson, John 1 ; Scarr, John 1 ; Wilt, Brandon 1
SF: Scarr, John 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pacchioli, Justin 1 ; Abeln, Joe 1 ; Faust, Connor 1 ; Elson, John 1 ; Young, David 2
SB: Garzillo, Mike 1 ; Elson, John 1 ; Young, David 1 ; Wilt, Brandon 1
CS: Faust, Connor 1
HBP: Abeln, Joe 1 ; Young, David 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
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