Lehigh University Athletics
Friday, February 27
Sumter, S.C. - Riley Park
12 p.m.
Lehigh University
vs
Iona
Mountain Hawks to open season vs. Iona in South Carolina this weekend
2/26/2015 1:09:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh baseball team will open its season later than expected and in a different location than originally planned when the Mountain Hawks head to South Carolina to face Iona in a four-game series Friday and Saturday. Nine-inning doubleheaders will be played both days beginning at noon, with Friday's action taking place at Riley Park in Sumter, South Carolina and Saturday's games at Ashley Ridge High School in Summerville, South Carolina.
Lehigh was originally scheduled to partake in the Spartan Classic at Norfolk State this weekend, but winter weather that has plagued the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions forced the Mountain Hawks to make other plans.
Lehigh returns four of last year's five All-Patriot League selections from a 2014 team that made a Patriot League Championship appearance. The Mountain Hawks were projected to finish third in this year's preseason Patriot League poll and Lehigh will look to Preseason Patriot League Player of the Year senior Justin Pacchioli and fellow preseason All-League member junior Mike Garzillo to lead the way.
Captains Garzillo and seniors John Elson, Connor Faust and Nick Stephens, along with the rest of the upperclassmen, will be depended upon to help guide a freshman class of 13. The Mountain Hawks graduated a talented senior class of seven, but return a majority of their lineup and several experienced pitchers for the 2015 campaign.
The Mountain Hawks finished the 2014 season with a 25-24 overall record. Lehigh finished in third place at 10-10 in the Patriot League and upset Army in the semifinals to make it to the Patriot League Championship for the first time since 2006.
Iona enters this weekend's action with a 1-6 record. The Gaels dropped a four-game series to Missouri to open the season before going 1-2 at Duke's Blue Devil Classic last weekend. Iona's lone win came in the form of a 9-2 decision over Delaware State on Feb. 22. Kyle DiVico went 4-for-5 at the plate and tallied six RBI, while Mariano Rivera got the win on the mound after throwing 6.2 innings of one-run ball and striking out seven batters.
DiVico leads the team with a .292 batting average and seven RBI, while Matt Byrne (.269) and Carmine Palummo (.263, three RBI) follow. Rivera, Bill Maier, Eddie Macaluso and Max Bruckner have started all games on the mound for the Gaels. Maier holds a team-best 1.42 ERA in 12.2 innings of work, while Macaluso has fanned a squad-high 17 batters to go along with a 1.46 ERA. Iona finished last season with a 13-31 overall record.
Following this weekend's four-game series, the Mountain Hawks will head to Port Charlotte, Fla. for an eight-game Spring Break trip from March 8-14.
Like Lehigh baseball on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates and content.
Lehigh was originally scheduled to partake in the Spartan Classic at Norfolk State this weekend, but winter weather that has plagued the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions forced the Mountain Hawks to make other plans.
Lehigh returns four of last year's five All-Patriot League selections from a 2014 team that made a Patriot League Championship appearance. The Mountain Hawks were projected to finish third in this year's preseason Patriot League poll and Lehigh will look to Preseason Patriot League Player of the Year senior Justin Pacchioli and fellow preseason All-League member junior Mike Garzillo to lead the way.
Captains Garzillo and seniors John Elson, Connor Faust and Nick Stephens, along with the rest of the upperclassmen, will be depended upon to help guide a freshman class of 13. The Mountain Hawks graduated a talented senior class of seven, but return a majority of their lineup and several experienced pitchers for the 2015 campaign.
The Mountain Hawks finished the 2014 season with a 25-24 overall record. Lehigh finished in third place at 10-10 in the Patriot League and upset Army in the semifinals to make it to the Patriot League Championship for the first time since 2006.
Iona enters this weekend's action with a 1-6 record. The Gaels dropped a four-game series to Missouri to open the season before going 1-2 at Duke's Blue Devil Classic last weekend. Iona's lone win came in the form of a 9-2 decision over Delaware State on Feb. 22. Kyle DiVico went 4-for-5 at the plate and tallied six RBI, while Mariano Rivera got the win on the mound after throwing 6.2 innings of one-run ball and striking out seven batters.
DiVico leads the team with a .292 batting average and seven RBI, while Matt Byrne (.269) and Carmine Palummo (.263, three RBI) follow. Rivera, Bill Maier, Eddie Macaluso and Max Bruckner have started all games on the mound for the Gaels. Maier holds a team-best 1.42 ERA in 12.2 innings of work, while Macaluso has fanned a squad-high 17 batters to go along with a 1.46 ERA. Iona finished last season with a 13-31 overall record.
Following this weekend's four-game series, the Mountain Hawks will head to Port Charlotte, Fla. for an eight-game Spring Break trip from March 8-14.
Like Lehigh baseball on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates and content.
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