Lehigh University
2-5
North Carolina A&T State University
3-4
Lehigh Falls in Final Game at NC A&T
2/25/2018 4:30:00 PM | Baseball
NC A&T (3-4) put Lehigh (2-5) in a big first-inning deficit as the Aggies scored nine runs on seven hits in the opening frame. A&T opened the inning with six-straight hits, including three extra-base hits, before the first out was recorded. The Aggies then opened up a 10-0 lead after posting a run on an RBI ground out in the second inning.
Senior Matt Ratner entered to start the third inning in his first relief appearance of the season. The right-hander put a damper on the Aggie offense and gave Lehigh a chance to chip away at the deficit. Ratner put together one of his best performances with the Brown and White as he tossed 4.0 scoreless innings and surrendered just one hit as he racked up six strikeouts with no walks.
Lehigh showed life offensively in the sixth as Mike Maguire reached on a fielder's choice and James Bleming moved Maguire to second with a single. Jeff Shanfeldt cleared the bases with a double to the left center gap for Lehigh's first runs of the game.
The Mountain Hawks were held hitless in the seventh and eighth innings, while A&T extended their lead to 11-2 heading into the final inning. Some of Lehigh's substitutions made an impact in the final inning as LU put three runs on the board.
Tim DiLoreto came in to pinch hit and reached base as he was hit by a pinch to lead off the inning. Quinn McKenna drew a walk and Jake Kochmansky recorded an infield single to load the bases. Blake Rapoport drew a walk and recorded his third RBI of the weekend as DiLoreto scored. Then, freshman Tyler Schreiner brought home McKenna and Kochmansky with a single up the middle for his first-career hit and RBI.
Lehigh will make one last scheduled trip to North Carolina next weekend as the Mountain Hawks return to Davidson for the second-straight year. The Wildcats will host LU in for a three-game set Friday through Sunday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: JOHNSON,M. (2-0)
L: Reynolds, Jason (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Shanfeldt, Jeff 1
RBI: Shanfeldt, Jeff 2 ; Rapoport, Blake 1 ; Schreiner, Tyler 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Maguire, Mike 1 ; Bleming, James 1 ; DiLoreto, Tim 1 ; McKenna, Quinn 1 ; Kochmansky, Jake 1
SB: Bleming, James 1
HBP: DiLoreto, Tim 1
Batting:
2B: RIVERA,M. 1 ; ORDONEZ,Adan 1 ; WHITE,Greg 1
3B: RIVERA,M. 1
HR: SMITH,D. 1
RBI: FAULK,Shane 1 ; RIVERA,M. 1 ; ORDONEZ,Adan 2 ; WHITE,Greg 1 ; SMITH,D. 2 ; WILLIAMS,J 1 ; MCLEAN,Zach 1
SF: ORDONEZ,Adan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: FAULK,Shane 2 ; RIVERA,M. 1 ; ORDONEZ,Adan 1 ; NORMAN,J. 1 ; WHITE,Greg 2 ; SMITH,D. 2 ; MCLEAN,Zach 1 ; KIMBRELL,F. 1
SB: FAULK,Shane 1 ; SMITH,D. 1
HBP: FAULK,Shane 1 ; SMITH,D. 1
