Lehigh suffers pair of one-run losses at Fairleigh Dickinson

Sunday, March 22

Teaneck, NJ

12 p.m.

Lehigh University

3-11

Fairleigh Dickinson

5-6

Lehigh

Fairleigh Dickinson

Lehigh suffers pair of one-run losses at Fairleigh Dickinson

3/22/2015 5:32:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

TEANECK, N.J. – The Lehigh baseball team came out on the short end of a pair of one-run games in a Sunday doubleheader at Fairleigh Dickinson as the Knights earned a 2-1 win in the day's first game before picking up a 4-3 victory in the nightcap. Game one starter senior J.R. Edwards gave up just one hit in seven innings of the day's first game while junior Mike Garzillo hit his third home run of the season in the finale.

A second-inning hit from sophomore Jacen Nalesnik was the only hit for either team in the day's first game, a nine-inning contest, until the seventh inning. Garzillo took first on a catcher's interference in the top of the seventh before classmate Anthony Rinaldi was hit by a pitch. The two Mountain Hawks executed a double steal before Garzillo was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice that advanced Rinaldi to third. Senior Connor Faust stepped up with a single to third base to score Rinaldi and put the Mountain Hawks up 1-0.

Edwards kept the Knights hitless for the first six and two thirds innings of the contest. He issued a two-out walk to FDU's Patrick McClure before Joel Roman recorded the Knights' only hit of the game, a two-run homer, to give Fairleigh Dickinson a 2-1 lead through seven innings.

Senior Nick Stephens took the mound in relief of Edwards in the eighth and sat the Knights down in order. Garzillo led off the ninth with a single to right field before Frati was lifted and Eric Snyder took the mound for FDU. Snyder got the Mountain Hawks to ground into a double play before a fly out secured the 2-1 win for Fairleigh Dickinson.

Edwards finished with a line of two runs on one hit in seven complete innings. He struck out four batters while walking just two. Frati earned the win for the Knights.

Senior John Elson opened the day's second game, a seven-inning affair, with a one-out single before Garzillo roped his third home run of the season over the right field fence. Sophomore David Young followed with a single before stealing second and then coming home on an FDU error to give the Mountain Hawks a 3-0 lead after the top of the first.

Runs batted in from Shane Siebler and McClure helped the Knights put up a run in both the second and third innings to cut Lehigh's lead to 3-2. Mountain Hawk starter Nick Macaione fired a solid 4.1 innings before junior Kevin Boswick took over with one out in the fifth inning. Boswick worked out of a one-out, bases loaded jam by forcing a pair of groundouts to keep Lehigh's lead at 3-2 through five.

The Mountain Hawks weren't able to get anything else off of FDU starter Ryan McGrath. The Knights capitalized on a Lehigh error in the sixth to plate the tying run before a sacrifice fly from Dylan Sprague scored the game-winner. Lehigh threatened with two runners on base in the top of the seventh, but Snyder was able to secure his second save of the day and a 4-3 win for Fairleigh Dickinson.

Macaione finished with a line of two runs, one of which was earned, on six hits and six strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. Boswick suffered the loss while McGrath picked up the win.

Lehigh will take on Rider in the first round of the Liberty Bell Classic Tuesday before facing Army next weekend to kick off Patriot League play.

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