Saturday, May 10
West Point, N.Y.
12 PM
Lehigh University
vs
Army
Mountain Hawks head to Army for Patriot League Semifinals this weekend
5/8/2014 4:45:00 PM | Baseball
Game Notes | Free Video (PLN) | Championship Central
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Lehigh returns to the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2010 when the Mountain Hawks head to Army for a best-of-three semifinal series Saturday and Sunday at Army's Doubleday Field. A doubleheader will be played Saturday beginning at noon and Sunday's game, if necessary, will begin at 1 p.m. Live video will be provided via the Patriot League Network for all three games.
Lehigh secured the No. 3 seed in the tournament with a 10-10 league record while the Black Knights finished 15-5 to earn a share of the regular-season league title and take the No. 2 seed. The two teams split their four-game regular season series, with Army taking the first and last game and Lehigh winning the middle two. The winner of this series moves onto next weekend's Patriot League Championship series to face the winner of Bucknell/Navy.
The Mountain Hawks lead the league in batting average (.276) and on base percentage (.355). Junior Justin Pacchioli leads Lehigh with a .376 batting average. Pacchioli led the Patriot League with a .386 average during league play. Sophomore Mike Garzillo (.319), senior Joe Abeln (.303) and junior Tim McKay (.301) also finished the regular season hitting above .300. Garzillo leads the squad with 30 RBI and 14 extra-base hits, while Abeln has scored a team-best 29 runs. Senior Tyler Brong and junior John Elson have both hit a pair of home runs this season.
Lehigh carries a team ERA of 4.05 heading into this weekend, which is the lowest collective ERA since Sean Leary has been the head coach of the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh holds an even lower mark, 3.51, in Patriot League play this season. Seniors Colin Gotzon (4-1, 3.42 ERA) and Mike Burke (3-3, 3.91 ERA) have been strong day one starters for Lehigh, while Kevin Long (4-3, 3.02) has been consistent as well. Junior Nick Stephens (2-4, 4.50) and freshman Matt Kozemchak (2-0, 2.33) have also started weekend series for Lehigh. Out of the bullpen, senior Joey McNamara (2-0, 2.79 ERA) has been a strong setup man, while classmate Nick Cassell (4-3, 3.34 ERA) has tallied a league-leading seven saves. Gotzon leads the team with 50 strikeouts, while Burke has fanned 39.
The second-seeded and co-regular season champion Black Knights enter the semifinal series with a 15-5 league record that is part of a 31-16 overall mark. Army's 2.92 ERA leads the Patriot League and ranks 27th nationally. The Black Knights average 1.96 stolen bases per game, which ranks fifth best in the country. Army is hitting .253 as a team, led by Daniel Cortes' .323 batting average. Jon Crucitti has scored a team-best 32 runs while Patrick Meschner has posted a squad-leading 26 RBI. Harold Earls leads the team with 24 stolen bases in his 28 attempts.
Army's top three weekend arms of Nick Dignacco (6-2, 2.32 ERA), Alex Robinett (5-3, 2.03 ERA) and Gunnar Carroll (8-2, 2.09 ERA) have been dominant all season. Johnny Griffith (2-1, 2.70 ERA) leads the team with five saves.
Lehigh is 0-2 all-time versus Army in the Patriot League Tournament and 1-3 when playing tournament games in West Point (including neutral site games). The Mountain Hawks dropped a 2-0 shutout in the first game of the regular-season series before sweeping a Monday doubleheader (5-4, 3-0). Army claimed the final game of the series 9-7.
The winner of the semifinal series will face the winner of the Bucknell/Navy series next weekend. The games will be played at the site of the highest remaining seed.
Like Lehigh baseball on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Lehigh returns to the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2010 when the Mountain Hawks head to Army for a best-of-three semifinal series Saturday and Sunday at Army's Doubleday Field. A doubleheader will be played Saturday beginning at noon and Sunday's game, if necessary, will begin at 1 p.m. Live video will be provided via the Patriot League Network for all three games.
Lehigh secured the No. 3 seed in the tournament with a 10-10 league record while the Black Knights finished 15-5 to earn a share of the regular-season league title and take the No. 2 seed. The two teams split their four-game regular season series, with Army taking the first and last game and Lehigh winning the middle two. The winner of this series moves onto next weekend's Patriot League Championship series to face the winner of Bucknell/Navy.
The Mountain Hawks lead the league in batting average (.276) and on base percentage (.355). Junior Justin Pacchioli leads Lehigh with a .376 batting average. Pacchioli led the Patriot League with a .386 average during league play. Sophomore Mike Garzillo (.319), senior Joe Abeln (.303) and junior Tim McKay (.301) also finished the regular season hitting above .300. Garzillo leads the squad with 30 RBI and 14 extra-base hits, while Abeln has scored a team-best 29 runs. Senior Tyler Brong and junior John Elson have both hit a pair of home runs this season.
Lehigh carries a team ERA of 4.05 heading into this weekend, which is the lowest collective ERA since Sean Leary has been the head coach of the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh holds an even lower mark, 3.51, in Patriot League play this season. Seniors Colin Gotzon (4-1, 3.42 ERA) and Mike Burke (3-3, 3.91 ERA) have been strong day one starters for Lehigh, while Kevin Long (4-3, 3.02) has been consistent as well. Junior Nick Stephens (2-4, 4.50) and freshman Matt Kozemchak (2-0, 2.33) have also started weekend series for Lehigh. Out of the bullpen, senior Joey McNamara (2-0, 2.79 ERA) has been a strong setup man, while classmate Nick Cassell (4-3, 3.34 ERA) has tallied a league-leading seven saves. Gotzon leads the team with 50 strikeouts, while Burke has fanned 39.
The second-seeded and co-regular season champion Black Knights enter the semifinal series with a 15-5 league record that is part of a 31-16 overall mark. Army's 2.92 ERA leads the Patriot League and ranks 27th nationally. The Black Knights average 1.96 stolen bases per game, which ranks fifth best in the country. Army is hitting .253 as a team, led by Daniel Cortes' .323 batting average. Jon Crucitti has scored a team-best 32 runs while Patrick Meschner has posted a squad-leading 26 RBI. Harold Earls leads the team with 24 stolen bases in his 28 attempts.
Army's top three weekend arms of Nick Dignacco (6-2, 2.32 ERA), Alex Robinett (5-3, 2.03 ERA) and Gunnar Carroll (8-2, 2.09 ERA) have been dominant all season. Johnny Griffith (2-1, 2.70 ERA) leads the team with five saves.
Lehigh is 0-2 all-time versus Army in the Patriot League Tournament and 1-3 when playing tournament games in West Point (including neutral site games). The Mountain Hawks dropped a 2-0 shutout in the first game of the regular-season series before sweeping a Monday doubleheader (5-4, 3-0). Army claimed the final game of the series 9-7.
The winner of the semifinal series will face the winner of the Bucknell/Navy series next weekend. The games will be played at the site of the highest remaining seed.
Like Lehigh baseball on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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