Saturday, April 2
Lewisburg, Pa.
12 p.m.
Lehigh University
at
Bucknell
Mountain Hawks open Patriot League play at Bucknell this weekend
4/1/2016 11:33:00 AM | Baseball
Listen Live | Live Stats
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh baseball team begins its quest to defend its Patriot League title this weekend when the Mountain Hawks kick off league play at Bucknell. The four-game series will be played at Depew Field with doubleheaders set to begin at 12 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. As with all league series, the first contest of the doubleheaders will be seven innings, while the second will be a full nine-inning affair.
The Mountain Hawks ride a three-game win streak into their league opener and Lehigh is 9-14 overall. Lehigh claimed the final game of a three-game set against Manhattan 6-4 over the weekend before capturing a 16-7 win over Delaware Tuesday and a 6-3 victory against Saint Peter's Wednesday. Junior Jacen Nalesnik has led Lehigh in the pre-league portion of the season with a .355 batting average and team-best marks of 25 runs scored, 18 RBI and four home runs. A trio of juniors in Connor Donovan (.321), Patrick Donnelly (.312) and David Young (.309) are also hitting above .300 to pace the Mountain Hawks who hit .269 as a team. Senior Mike Garziilo has scored 21 runs, knocked in 16 RBI and tallied nine-extra base hits in Lehigh's balanced offensive attack.
Senior Kevin Long is expected to get the start in game one at Bucknell. Long has struck out 13 batters in 14.2 innings this season and had a pair of strong outings in his first two starts of the season against Norfolk State and Marshall. Sophomore Sam Ashey will get the ball for game two. Ashey has picked up two wins on the mound and struck out 19 batters this season. Freshman Ethan Frohman, Lehigh's projected game three starter, leads the Mountain Hawks with a 1.90 ERA that ranks second-best in the Patriot League and Frohman has picked up a win and save so far this season. Junior Matt Kozemchak will handle game four after hurling six strong frames in Lehigh's 6-4 win at Manhattan last Saturday. Senior Kevin Boswick, junior Connor Donovan and sophomore Mark Washington have all been key pieces in Lehigh's bullpen this season.
Bucknell carries a 9-16 overall record into this weekend's series. The Bison dropped a 6-5 midweek road game at Saint Joseph's Wednesday after splitting a four-game weekend home series with Yale last weekend. Bucknell is hitting .260 as a team and is led by Brett Smith's .346 batting average, 19 runs scored and 13 RBI. Alex O'Neill and Spencer Stokes are hitting .313 and .300, respectively. Joe Ogren leads the team with 15 RBI and six stolen bases.
The Bison will hand the ball to senior Andrew Andreychik for game one. Andreychik is 1-3 with a 6.10 ERA and his win came against Cornell on March 19. Lefty Mike Castellani will handle game two. Castellani leads the team with three wins and holds a 4.05 ERA. Dan Keller (0-3, 4.15 ERA) and Jack Grabek (1-1, 2.29) will toe the rubber for games three and four, respectively. Danny Rafferty leads the Bison bullpen with four saves.
Lehigh won a 3-1 series against the Bison at Legacy Park last season. Bucknell claimed game one 4-2 in extra innings, but the Mountain Hawks earned a 6-2 win in game two before sweeping Sunday's doubleheader with a pair of walk-off wins thanks to a 3-2, extra-inning victory in the opener and a 7-6 win in the nightcap.
Following this weekend's series, Lehigh will face Rider and Coppin State in midweek games before hosting Holy Cross in the Mountain Hawks' league home opening series next weekend.
Probable pitching matchups vs. Bucknell:
Game 1: RHP Kevin Long vs. RHP Andrew Andreychik
Game 2: LHP Sam Ashey vs. LHP Mike Castellani
Game 3: LHP Ethan Frohman vs. RHP Dan Keller
Game 4: LHP Matt Kozemchak vs. LHP Jack Grabek
Like Lehigh baseball on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh baseball team begins its quest to defend its Patriot League title this weekend when the Mountain Hawks kick off league play at Bucknell. The four-game series will be played at Depew Field with doubleheaders set to begin at 12 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. As with all league series, the first contest of the doubleheaders will be seven innings, while the second will be a full nine-inning affair.
The Mountain Hawks ride a three-game win streak into their league opener and Lehigh is 9-14 overall. Lehigh claimed the final game of a three-game set against Manhattan 6-4 over the weekend before capturing a 16-7 win over Delaware Tuesday and a 6-3 victory against Saint Peter's Wednesday. Junior Jacen Nalesnik has led Lehigh in the pre-league portion of the season with a .355 batting average and team-best marks of 25 runs scored, 18 RBI and four home runs. A trio of juniors in Connor Donovan (.321), Patrick Donnelly (.312) and David Young (.309) are also hitting above .300 to pace the Mountain Hawks who hit .269 as a team. Senior Mike Garziilo has scored 21 runs, knocked in 16 RBI and tallied nine-extra base hits in Lehigh's balanced offensive attack.
Senior Kevin Long is expected to get the start in game one at Bucknell. Long has struck out 13 batters in 14.2 innings this season and had a pair of strong outings in his first two starts of the season against Norfolk State and Marshall. Sophomore Sam Ashey will get the ball for game two. Ashey has picked up two wins on the mound and struck out 19 batters this season. Freshman Ethan Frohman, Lehigh's projected game three starter, leads the Mountain Hawks with a 1.90 ERA that ranks second-best in the Patriot League and Frohman has picked up a win and save so far this season. Junior Matt Kozemchak will handle game four after hurling six strong frames in Lehigh's 6-4 win at Manhattan last Saturday. Senior Kevin Boswick, junior Connor Donovan and sophomore Mark Washington have all been key pieces in Lehigh's bullpen this season.
Bucknell carries a 9-16 overall record into this weekend's series. The Bison dropped a 6-5 midweek road game at Saint Joseph's Wednesday after splitting a four-game weekend home series with Yale last weekend. Bucknell is hitting .260 as a team and is led by Brett Smith's .346 batting average, 19 runs scored and 13 RBI. Alex O'Neill and Spencer Stokes are hitting .313 and .300, respectively. Joe Ogren leads the team with 15 RBI and six stolen bases.
The Bison will hand the ball to senior Andrew Andreychik for game one. Andreychik is 1-3 with a 6.10 ERA and his win came against Cornell on March 19. Lefty Mike Castellani will handle game two. Castellani leads the team with three wins and holds a 4.05 ERA. Dan Keller (0-3, 4.15 ERA) and Jack Grabek (1-1, 2.29) will toe the rubber for games three and four, respectively. Danny Rafferty leads the Bison bullpen with four saves.
Lehigh won a 3-1 series against the Bison at Legacy Park last season. Bucknell claimed game one 4-2 in extra innings, but the Mountain Hawks earned a 6-2 win in game two before sweeping Sunday's doubleheader with a pair of walk-off wins thanks to a 3-2, extra-inning victory in the opener and a 7-6 win in the nightcap.
Following this weekend's series, Lehigh will face Rider and Coppin State in midweek games before hosting Holy Cross in the Mountain Hawks' league home opening series next weekend.
Probable pitching matchups vs. Bucknell:
Game 1: RHP Kevin Long vs. RHP Andrew Andreychik
Game 2: LHP Sam Ashey vs. LHP Mike Castellani
Game 3: LHP Ethan Frohman vs. RHP Dan Keller
Game 4: LHP Matt Kozemchak vs. LHP Jack Grabek
Like Lehigh baseball on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
3B
/ Baseball
1B/P
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
P/IF
/ BaseballBaseball vs. Coppin State
Tuesday, April 29
Baseball vs. Penn
Wednesday, March 19
Baseball vs. UAlbany
Sunday, March 16
Season Preview Baseball
Thursday, February 13
