Lehigh drops pair of tough battles at Navy

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Lehigh baseball team lost a hard-fought 3-2 extra-inning contest to begin its Saturday doubleheader at Navy before falling 7-2 in the nightcap at Max Bishop Stadium. The Mountain Hawks fall to 7-6 in the Patriot League and 18-17 overall, while Navy improves to 6-8 in the league and 20-22 overall.

Senior Colin Gotzon was strong on the mound, throwing eight innings in the extra-inning loss while allowing just one run. Sophomore Mike Garzillo went 3-for-8 in the two games combined to lead Lehigh offensively, while freshman Jacen Nalesnik finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Junior Justin Pacchioli, freshman Patrick Donnelly and senior Tyler Brong also recorded RBI.

A single through the left side from Garzillo got the Mountain Hawks started in the day's first game, a seven-inning regulation contest, before a base hit to right from senior Joe Abeln put runners on the corners with one out. Brong put the ball in play to score Garzillo as the Mountain Hawks took a 1-0 lead through the first inning.

Gotzon was strong on the mound, allowing just four hits through the first five innings. The Mids tied the contest at one in the bottom of the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly from Brandon Beans. Neither team scored in the seventh inning as the series opener was sent into extra innings.

Gotzon and Navy's starter Anthony Parenti each stayed on the mound for the eighth inning as both held their opponents scoreless. Donnelly sent a leadoff single into center to begin the top of the ninth before junior Tim McKay reached on a Navy throwing error. Pacchioli recorded an RBI fielder's choice to bring home Donnelly as the Mountain Hawks took a 2-1 lead. Navy turned a double play to end the inning and leave three Mountain Hawks stranded.

Senior Nick Cassell took the mound in the bottom half of the inning as the Mids quickly put runners on first and second with one out. A pair of walks scored the tying run before a single up the middle from Kash Manzelli handed Navy the 3-2 extra-inning win.

Cassell suffered the loss, while Gotzon finished with an impressive line of one run on six hits with three strikeouts in eight innings. Navy relief pitcher Tyler Ridgeway earned the win.

In the day's second game, a nine-inning contest, Lehigh senior starter Mike Burke allowed just one hit through the first two innings. Navy's Leland Saile recorded an infield hit to lead off the third before advancing to second on a wild pitch. A single to left from Travis Blue scored Saile before Manzelli roped a double down the left field line to score two more and give the Mids a 3-0 lead through three. RBI from Blue and Robert Currie extended the Navy lead to 5-0 in the fourth.

Junior Connor Faust led off the fifth inning with a single through the left side before Brong smoked a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third with no outs. Donnelly tapped a grounder to third to score Faust before freshman Nalesnik also recorded an RBI groundout to cut the Navy lead to 5-2.

Senior Joey McNamara threw 1.2 scoreless innings before allowing two Mids to reach in the sixth. Freshman David Young took the mound and caught Blue looking as McKay gunned down Adrian Chinnery trying to steal third. Young followed with a strikeout of David Norman to get out of the jam.

After a scoreless seventh inning, the Mids tacked on two insurance runs in the eighth on a single through the right side from Manzelli. The Lehigh bats couldn't get going as Navy picked up the 7-2 win.

Burke suffered the loss after allowing five runs on six hits in 3.1 innings of work. Navy starter Stephen Moore pitched a complete nine innings while giving up two runs and ten hits on his way to the win.

Lehigh and Navy wrap up their four-game set Sunday with a doubleheader beginning at noon. Free video will be available via the Patriot League Network.

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Team Stats

Mike Garzillo

Justin Pacchioli

Joe Abeln

John Elson

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