
UMES rallies to take Wednesday twinbill from Lehigh
4/20/2016 7:33:00 PM | Baseball
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – The Lehigh baseball team suffered a pair of one-run losses in two seven-inning games at UMES in non-league action Wednesday as the Hawks put together late-inning rallies to earn 7-6 and 5-4 victories over the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh falls to 14-26 overall, while UMES improves to 11-25.
Sophomore James Bleming went 4-for-7 with three RBI and two runs scored in the two games combined to lead Lehigh offensively. Game two freshman starter Cole McManimon struck out a career-best seven batters while allowing just two earned runs in 5.1 innings. The Lehigh pitchers combined to fan 15 batters in the two games combined. Senior Mike Garzillo broke Lehigh's career at-bat record in his first trip to the plate in the day's nightcap. The previous career at-bats record of 688 was held by Brendan McGaheran '12.
The Mountain Hawks got on the board right away in the day's opener as junior Jacen Nalesnik roped a triple to right field before Bleming followed with an RBI double to left. A batter later, junior Patrick Donnelly followed with an RBI base knock to right to put Lehigh ahead 2-0. Sophomore starter Mark Washington hurled a hitless bottom of the first before the Mountain Hawks put up two more runs in the following frame as freshman Chris Butera sent a one-out single up the middle and was then doubled home by classmate Jeff Shanfeldt. Bleming followed with a two-out RBI single to right to extend Lehigh's lead to 4-0 through one and a half.
UMES used two hits to plate a pair of runs in the bottom of the second and cut the Mountain Hawk advantage to 4-2, but Lehigh added another run in the top of the third as Donnelly smoked a leadoff double before later scoring on a sacrifice fly from senior Mackey Price to put the Mountain Hawks in front 5-2. Washington fired a hitless third inning as he finished his outing with a line of two runs, only one of which was earned, on two hits with two strikeouts in three full innings of work.
The Hawks used four hits, a walk and a hit by pitch to plate four runs in the bottom of the fourth and jump ahead 6-5. Freshman Mike Gibbons struck out six of the 10 batters he faced, but a solo home run from UMES' Tom Summers made the score 7-5 through five frames. Lehigh responded in the top of the sixth as junior Connor Donovan opened the inning with a single through the left side and Price reached on a UMES error. Shanfeldt knocked a one-out single through the left side to score Price and pull Lehigh within 7-6. Sophomore John Fitz and senior Brandon Kulp combined to keep UMES off the board in the bottom of the sixth, but Hawks reliever Devin Repine sat the Mountain Hawks down in order in the top of the seventh to secure the 7-6 UMES win. Freshman Anthony Morrone suffered the loss for Lehigh, while Will Turley earned the win.
Lehigh struck in the top of the first of the day's nightcap as Bleming sent a one-out base hit to center, Garzillo doubled to left and Donnelly drew a walk to load the bases. Bleming then scored on a passed ball before junior John Scarr walked and Donovan was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Price followed with an RBI groundout to quickly put Lehigh ahead 3-0.
The Hawks got on the board in the bottom of the second as an RBI single from Grayson Trower plated an unearned run to trim the Mountain Hawks advantage to 3-1 through two. McManimon kept UMES scoreless for the next three frames before Lehigh added on a run in the top of the sixth when Shanfeldt drew a two-out walk before Nalesnik singled to right and Bleming followed with an RBI double to left to put the Mountain Hawks ahead 4-1.
UMES opened the bottom of the sixth with a pair of one-out singles to end McManimon's outing as Donovan took the mound in relief. A walk was followed by a two-run single and Lehigh error as the Hawks were able to plate three runs on the play and tie the game at 4-4 through six frames. The Mountain Hawks weren't able to cross the plate in their half of the seventh and UMES drew a pair of one-out walks in the bottom of the frame before Connor Breslin delivered a walk-off single to help the Hawks to a 5-4 nightcap victory. Butera suffered the loss, while UMES' Repine picked up the win.
Lehigh returns home to Legacy Park to host archrival Lafayette in a four-game Patriot League series Saturday and Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. both days and the program's six seniors will be honored prior to the start of Sunday's doubleheader on Senior Day. Free video of all four games will be available on the Patriot League Network.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Turley, W. (4-2)
L: Morrone, Anthony (0-1)
S: Repine, D. (4)

Batting:
2B: Bleming, James 1 ; Donnelly, Patrick 1 ; Shanfeldt, Jeff 1
3B: Nalesnik, Jacen 1
RBI: Bleming, James 2 ; Donnelly, Patrick 1 ; Price, Mackey 1 ; Shanfeldt, Jeff 2
SF: Price, Mackey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nalesnik, Jacen 1 ; Bleming, James 1 ; Donnelly, Patrick 1 ; Price, Mackey 1 ; Butera, Chris 1 ; Shanfeldt, Jeff 1
SB: Bleming, James 1 ; Young, David 1 ; Butera, Chris 1
HBP: Garzillo, Mike 1

Batting:
2B: Trower, J. 1
HR: Summers, T. 1
RBI: Martin, J. 2 ; Somerville 1 ; Summers, T. 2 ; Mills, Z. 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Breslin, C. 2 ; Trower, J. 2 ; Summers, T. 2 ; Mills, Z. 1
SB: Somerville 1
HBP: Summers, T. 1
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