Lehigh Falls in Rainy Sunday Morning Bout at Navy

Sunday, April 15

Annapolis, Md.

10:30 a.m.

Lehigh University

13-21, 0

United States Naval Academy

27-11, 0

LEHIGH

NAVY

Lehigh Falls in Rainy Sunday Morning Bout at Navy

4/15/2018 2:19:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Lehigh wrapped up its three-game weekend set at Navy with a 7-1 loss on a rain-soaked Sunday morning in Annapolis, Md. as the Midshipmen now own a 2-1 advantage in the season series.

Lehigh (13-21, 3-10) cut the deficit in half and trailed, 2-1, after scoring a run in the top half of the sixth inning. Navy (27-11, 11-6) responded with four runs on three hits in the bottom half of the sixth to break open a five-run lead. The Mids then proceeded to retire eight of the final 10 Lehigh batters to seal the win.

The Mids broke the scoreless tie in the fourth as they caught a break on a lead-off infield single for just their third hit of the game to that point. Chris Kersey fielded the ball in the hole towards second base, but was unable to complete the play to first base as he lost grip on the rain-soaked ball. Following a hit batter, Navy put both runners in scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. The inning ended with back-to-back ground outs, but not before the Mids managed to get a run home on the first ground ball.

The rain began to intensify in the middle of the fifth inning, making any ball put in play much more difficult to handle. The Mids managed to put several balls in play in the fifth and were the beneficiary of the conditions as Lehigh committed two errors in the frame, which eventually resulted in a 2-0 lead for Navy at the end of five innings of play.

Following a double play by Navy in the sixth, Tony Gallo came through with a huge RBI single through the left side to bring home Kersey from third for Lehigh's first run of the game. Jeff Shanfeldt made it two-straight hits with two outs as he singled to left field to extend the inning. Navy pitcher Andrew Sauer managed to work out of the jam with an inning-ending strikeout and left the tying run on second.

In the bottom of the sixth, Navy loaded the bases and got one run in on a sacrifice fly to score the runner from third. The Mids loaded the bases again after Logan Knowles dropped a single into center field just in front of the outstretched glove of Mike Maguire. Maguire's outstanding effort to trap the ball saved a run for the time being, but on the next batter, Navy scored on a wild pitch before Zach Biggers brought another run in with a single up the middle. The Mids tacked on another run with their second sacrifice fly of the inning before Peter Woltersdorf recorded a strikeout to end the inning.

The Mountain Hawks received 5.0 solid innings out of starter Peter Moore, who compiled his longest appearance in his last three starts. The senior lefty allowed two runs, one earned, on just four hits. His counterpart, Sauer, allowed one run on five hits with just one strikeout in 7.0 innings of work for Navy.

Lehigh and Navy will meet again on April 28 to close out the season series with a doubleheader at Walker Field.

The Mountain Hawks return to action on Wednesday as they host Lafayette to decide the winner of the season series.