Lehigh Splits Saturday Twin Bill with Bucknell to Open League Play

Saturday, April 1

Bethlehem, PA

12 p.m.

Lehigh University

8-14, 0-1

Bucknell University

10-12, 1-0

Bucknell

Lehigh

Lehigh Splits Saturday Twin Bill with Bucknell to Open League Play

4/1/2017 8:51:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh rebounded from a tough 3-1 loss in game one and came roaring back in game two with a 10-3 victory to earn a doubleheader split with Bucknell on Saturday at J. David Walker Field as the two teams opened Patriot League play.

The Lehigh bats were held in check in game one as the Mountain Hawks (9-14, 1-1) compiled just one run on a season-low tying four hits. Bucknell (10-13, 1-1) received a sensational pitching performance from Connor Van Hoose in game one who went the full seven innings. Van Hoose, the team leader in strikeouts, struck out 10 Mountain Hawks on the day and allowed just six of the 26 batters he faced to reach base on four hits and two walks.

The Bison struck first with two runs in the second inning. The damage was held to a minimum as Connor Donovan did not allow an extra-base hit in the inning and managed to record a fly out for the final out to leave two runners stranded.

The Mountain Hawks got one back in the bottom of the second as David Young singled to left field to drive in John Scarr who led off the inning with a single. The Bison managed to limit the damage as they threw out Jeff Shanfeldt at home attempting to advance on a first and third situation, and then recorded a strikeout to end the inning.

Bucknell tacked on another run in the third as Chuckie Scales scored on a wild pitch after leading off the inning with a single. Donovan bared down and recorded a fly out and a strikeout to end the inning.

Lehigh had just one batter reach base from the third to sixth innings. The Mountain Hawks had two runners on with less than two outs in the seventh, but ended the game on a strikeout and pop up to shortstop.

The game one loss marked the fifth time this season Lehigh has surrendered three runs or less in a loss. It is also marked the second time this week that the Lehigh pitching staff did not surrender an extra-base hit in a loss.

Ryan Malloy provided the spark in game two as the sophomore outfielder went 2-for-4 with a game-high three RBI and a game-high three runs scored. Malloy put Lehigh ahead 3-0 in the second with a solo shot to left field for the day's only home run. The sophomore did further damage in his next at bat with a two-RBI single in the fourth inning to extend the LU lead to 5-0.

Freshman Jason Reynolds got the call to start game two and pitched a strong 5.1 innings as he allowed just two runs. Reynolds allowed eight hits on the day, but limited the damage by giving up only one extra-base hit to go along with seven groundouts and five fly outs. The freshman is now 2-0 in his last two starts to improve to 2-2 on the season.

Peter Moore earned his first save of the season as he came in to finish the final 3.2 innings of the game. The junior lefty was lights out as he allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out five batters in his appearance.

Lehigh continued its long ball ways on Saturday with Malloy's home run. LU has homered in four of its last six games to extend its league-leading total to 26. Lehigh has homered in 13 of 23 games this season.

The Mountain Hawks and Bison will return to J. David Walker Field at Legacy Park on Sunday to wrap up the weekend series with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.

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