Lehigh University Athletics
Wednesday, April 18
Bethlehem, Pa.
3 p.m.
Lehigh University
vs
Lafayette College
Rivalry Series Concludes Wednesday as Lehigh Hosts Lafayette
4/17/2018 4:36:00 PM | Baseball
WATCHÂ |Â LIVE STATS
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh returns home Wednesday to host Lafayette at Walker Field as the two rivals close out the season series with a single game starting at 3 p.m. Admission to the game is free and the game will be streamed live for free on the Patriot League Network.
Â
The Rivalry returns to Bethlehem for the first time since 2016 as the previous eight-straight meetings were all hosted by Lafayette (12-24, 2-11 PL). With the season series tied, 2-2, Lehigh (13-21, 3-10 PL) can win the season series for the fifth-straight year in a row, while the Leopards can capture their first season series since 2009 as Lehigh won the series in 2010 and the two teams split the season series from 2011-13. Since the beginning of the Patriot League era in 1991, the Mountain Hawks have won the series 11 times, the Leopards have won six times and they split the regular season series in 10 of those seasons.
Â
Lehigh enters Wednesday's contest a game up on Lafayette in the Patriot League standings. The Mountain Hawks moved ahead of their rivals in the standings after winning game two in a highly-competitive three-game set at Navy over the weekend. The Leopards were swept by league-leading Army in a three-game set at home and out-scored by a combined margin of 45-8.
Â
Lehigh possess one of the top offensive threats in the Patriot League in lead-off man Chris Kersey who is coming off a week where he hit .500, reached base at rate of .545 and scored in all five games last week. The senior was the catalyst in Lehigh's 7-4 victory over Navy as he finished the game 5-for-6 with two RBIs, including one in the top of the 10th inning to help Lehigh beat Navy in 10 innings. Kersey ranks second in the Patriot League in batting average (.355) and leads the league with 12 doubles this season.
Â
This season against Lafayette, Kersey is hitting .389 (7-for-18) with an on-base percentage of .421. He has scored a team-high six runs against the Leopards and is tied for the team lead with seven hits, including three doubles.
Â
In addition to Kersey, Ryan Bonshak, Tony Gallo and Jeff Shanfeldt are also among the Lehigh starters all hitting .300 or better against Lafayette this season. Gallo paces the team with a .467 (7-for-15) batting average and five RBIs against the Leopards.
Â
Left-hander Matt Kozemchak is slated to make his second-straight start against Lafayette. Last time out, he fifth-year senior tossed 2.0 scoreless innings with two strikeouts as he, Peter Woltersdorf and Ethan Frohman combined for a one-hitter in Lehigh's 7-1 victory. Kozemchak is holding opponents to a .091 batting average as has only allowed one hit so far this season and has yet to surrender a run.
Â
Frohman and Woltersdorf should also be available again in relief on Wednesday and both boast stellar numbers against Lafayette this season. The two relievers have combined to allow just three hits and own a combined 0.00 ERA in 10.1 innings of work against their rivals. Frohman has two saves in his three appearances out of the pen and Woltersdorf is 1-0 in his two relief outings.
Right-hander Brian Lannino is scheduled to make the start on the mound for Lafayette on Wednesday. The sophomore is 1-3 overall this season in 11 appearances and two starts with an 8.53 ERA. Lannino owns a 16.20 ERA in two appearances and 1.2 innings of work in Patriot League play. He suffered the loss in a 4-2 decision last week at Rutgers as he tossed the first 4.0 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with no walks or strikeouts.
Â
John Marti leads the Lafayette offense as he ranks among the league leaders in batting average (.331) and on-base percentage (.420). Despite his success this season, the third baseman has struggled against Lehigh pitching as he is hitting .182 (2-for-11) and has yet to score a run with just two RBIs while hitting in the three hole.
Â
As a team, Lafayette is hitting .167 against Lehigh pitching this season, while the Lehigh has combined for .305 team batting average. The Mountain Hawks have only surrendered eight earned runs as they have out-scored the Leopards 19-12 this season and own a 40-20 margin in total hits.
Â
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh returns home Wednesday to host Lafayette at Walker Field as the two rivals close out the season series with a single game starting at 3 p.m. Admission to the game is free and the game will be streamed live for free on the Patriot League Network.
Â
The Rivalry returns to Bethlehem for the first time since 2016 as the previous eight-straight meetings were all hosted by Lafayette (12-24, 2-11 PL). With the season series tied, 2-2, Lehigh (13-21, 3-10 PL) can win the season series for the fifth-straight year in a row, while the Leopards can capture their first season series since 2009 as Lehigh won the series in 2010 and the two teams split the season series from 2011-13. Since the beginning of the Patriot League era in 1991, the Mountain Hawks have won the series 11 times, the Leopards have won six times and they split the regular season series in 10 of those seasons.
Â
Lehigh enters Wednesday's contest a game up on Lafayette in the Patriot League standings. The Mountain Hawks moved ahead of their rivals in the standings after winning game two in a highly-competitive three-game set at Navy over the weekend. The Leopards were swept by league-leading Army in a three-game set at home and out-scored by a combined margin of 45-8.
Â
Lehigh possess one of the top offensive threats in the Patriot League in lead-off man Chris Kersey who is coming off a week where he hit .500, reached base at rate of .545 and scored in all five games last week. The senior was the catalyst in Lehigh's 7-4 victory over Navy as he finished the game 5-for-6 with two RBIs, including one in the top of the 10th inning to help Lehigh beat Navy in 10 innings. Kersey ranks second in the Patriot League in batting average (.355) and leads the league with 12 doubles this season.
Â
This season against Lafayette, Kersey is hitting .389 (7-for-18) with an on-base percentage of .421. He has scored a team-high six runs against the Leopards and is tied for the team lead with seven hits, including three doubles.
Â
In addition to Kersey, Ryan Bonshak, Tony Gallo and Jeff Shanfeldt are also among the Lehigh starters all hitting .300 or better against Lafayette this season. Gallo paces the team with a .467 (7-for-15) batting average and five RBIs against the Leopards.
Â
Left-hander Matt Kozemchak is slated to make his second-straight start against Lafayette. Last time out, he fifth-year senior tossed 2.0 scoreless innings with two strikeouts as he, Peter Woltersdorf and Ethan Frohman combined for a one-hitter in Lehigh's 7-1 victory. Kozemchak is holding opponents to a .091 batting average as has only allowed one hit so far this season and has yet to surrender a run.
Â
Frohman and Woltersdorf should also be available again in relief on Wednesday and both boast stellar numbers against Lafayette this season. The two relievers have combined to allow just three hits and own a combined 0.00 ERA in 10.1 innings of work against their rivals. Frohman has two saves in his three appearances out of the pen and Woltersdorf is 1-0 in his two relief outings.
Right-hander Brian Lannino is scheduled to make the start on the mound for Lafayette on Wednesday. The sophomore is 1-3 overall this season in 11 appearances and two starts with an 8.53 ERA. Lannino owns a 16.20 ERA in two appearances and 1.2 innings of work in Patriot League play. He suffered the loss in a 4-2 decision last week at Rutgers as he tossed the first 4.0 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with no walks or strikeouts.
Â
John Marti leads the Lafayette offense as he ranks among the league leaders in batting average (.331) and on-base percentage (.420). Despite his success this season, the third baseman has struggled against Lehigh pitching as he is hitting .182 (2-for-11) and has yet to score a run with just two RBIs while hitting in the three hole.
Â
As a team, Lafayette is hitting .167 against Lehigh pitching this season, while the Lehigh has combined for .305 team batting average. The Mountain Hawks have only surrendered eight earned runs as they have out-scored the Leopards 19-12 this season and own a 40-20 margin in total hits.
Â
Players Mentioned
OF/C
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
IF/OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball2026 Baseball Season Preview
Wednesday, February 11
Baseball vs. Coppin State
Tuesday, April 29
Baseball vs. Penn
Wednesday, March 19
Baseball vs. UAlbany
Sunday, March 16
