Lehigh drops a pair of tough battles in season-opening doubleheader

Friday, February 27

Sumter, S.C. - Riley Park

12 p.m.

Lehigh University

0-1

Iona

2-6

Lehigh

Iona

Lehigh drops a pair of tough battles in season-opening doubleheader

2/27/2015 8:58:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SUMTER, S.C. – The Lehigh baseball team came out on the short end of a pair of close, back-and-forth games Friday against Iona in the Mountain Hawks' first action of the 2015 season in Sumter, S.C. The Gaels earned a 6-4 win in the first game before rallying to claim the nightcap 11-8.

"We did a lot of very good things today, especially since it was the first time we've gotten to play outside so far this year," said head coach Sean Leary. "There are some things that we need to fine tune, but I believe we got better today. I thought Kevin Long had a fantastic start in game one and there were some strong offensive performances. We'll come out ready tomorrow."

Senior Justin Pacchioli led Lehigh offensively with a 3-for-7 showing at the plate, three runs scored, a triple and a stolen base. Junior Mike Garzillo went 4-for-10 with two RBI while sophomore Jacen Nalesnik drove in a team-high four runs.

Iona struck right away in the day's first game, putting up two runs in the bottom half of the first inning to take an early 2-0 advantage. Junior starter Kevin Long settled in the rest of the way, keeping the Gaels off the board for the next four innings. Long allowed just two hits and fanned eight batters through his five innings of work.

Iona starter Bill Maier kept Lehigh off the board until the fifth inning. Pacchioli led off the frame with a single before stealing second, advancing to third on a fielder's choice and scoring on a wild pitch to cut the Gaels' lead to 2-1. Senior Connor Faust took first to lead off the sixth inning thanks to an Iona error before sophomore Connor Donovan singled to put runners on first and second with no outs. Junior Anthony Rinaldi put down a sacrifice bunt that was followed by a two-run double off the bat of senior Tim McKay as Lehigh took a 3-2 lead through six innings.

The Gaels evened the contest at three in the bottom half of the frame thanks to an RBI single from Travis Mistretta. Lehigh grabbed the lead right back in the seventh with the help of a sacrifice fly from sophomore Patrick Donnelly that brought home senior John Elson to put the Mountain Hawks ahead 4-3. Iona answered right back with a three-spot in the bottom of the seventh to claim a 6-4 advantage, a lead that would prove to be too big for Lehigh to overcome.

Long finished with a line of two runs on two hits in five innings of work. Iona's Vinny Martin earned the win, while John Daddino picked up the save. Mountain Hawk sophomore David Young suffered the loss.

Pacchioli led off the day's second contest with a triple and was brought home by Nalesnik as the Mountain Hawks got out to a quick 1-0 lead. The Gaels were able to put up four runs through the first four innings, only two of which were earned, to carry a 4-1 lead into the top of the fifth.

Faust drew a walk to lead off the fifth inning before sophomore John Scarr singled and senior Patrick Walshe blasted an RBI double. Young followed with an RBI single before Pacchioli walked and Nalesnik stepped up with a two-run double. Garzillo followed with a two-run single to help the Mountain Hawks put up six runs in the fifth inning and take a 7-4 lead.

Iona responded with four runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning to reclaim the lead, 8-4. The Mountain Hawks put one more on the board in the eighth thanks to another Nalesnik RBI, but Iona secured its 11-8 victory in the nightcap with three more runs in the bottom half of the eighth.

Lehigh starter senior Nick Stephens finished with a line of three runs, one of which was earned, on two hits in three innings of work. Junior Brandon Kulp suffered the loss, while Daddino earned the victory.

The Mountain Hawks wrap up their four-game series against Iona Saturday with a doubleheader set to begin at 12 p.m. from Ashley Ridge High School in Summerville, S.C.

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