Friday, March 18
Bethlehem, Pa.
3 p.m.
Lehigh University
vs
St. Bonaventure
Photo by: Hannahally Photography
Lehigh welcomes St. Bonaventure to Walker Field for four-game weekend set
3/17/2022 4:46:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Winners of four of its last five games, the Lehigh baseball team is set to host a four-game weekend series at J. David Walker Field this weekend, taking on St. Bonaventure at 3 p.m. Friday, a noon doubleheader Saturday and a noon finale Sunday afternoon. The Mountain Hawks (8-6) won both mid-week games against Fairleigh Dickinson Tuesday and Saint Peter's on Wednesday in the home opener, combining for a total of 34 runs between the two games including a season-high 19 against the Peacocks.
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First-year Justin Butler went 4-for-6 with two homers, a double and five RBIs against Saint Peter's, upping his home run total to a Patriot League-leading five so far in 2022. Lehigh finished with a total of five long balls with one each for Casey Rother, Adam Retzbach and Rafe Perich. Retzbach has hit a home run in each of his last three games, second on the team with four this season at this point. Each member of the starting lineup tallied at least one hit against Peacock pitching including first-year Andrew Kohl who picked up a knock off the bench late in the game.
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Relief pitching was key for Lehigh against Peacock hitting as sophomore righty Teddy Tolliver (1-0) recorded his first collegiate victory, throwing 2.2 shutout innings of one-hit ball, striking out one and walking two. First-years Marcus Danchision and Perich combined to toss the final three innings of the outing without allowing a run or a base hit, striking out four batters to close out the game.
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Against FDU on Tuesday, senior right-hander Nick Pave (1-1) earned the win by throwing three shutout innings of relief, giving up just two hits with four strikeouts and a walk. First-year Val Taddei allowed just one earned on two hits in two innings of work, while junior Ryan Deom closed out the game retiring the side in order in back-to-back innings as the Mountain Hawks held on for the 15-7 win.
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A good majority of the Lehigh batting order has been efficient at the plate through the first 14 games of the season with five players hitting above .300, as well as first year Sam Holtz (.333) and senior Gerard Sweeney (.300), who have played less than five games. Rother leads the way with a .407 average (tied for the Patriot League lead) and 24 hits, driving in a total of 15 runs. Butler is batting .382 with five home runs, while first-year Jake Whitlinger (.375), sophomore Riley Davis (.320) and Perich (.315) are all hitting just as well.
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Reigning Patriot League Pitcher of the Week Luke Rettig will make his fifth start of the season Friday against St. Bonaventure, going 3-1 with a Patriot League-best 0.43 ERA, which is also the sixth-best in all of NCAA Division I. He has struck out 26 batters and walked 11 over 21.0 innings of work, all while allowing just one earned run. Rettig pitched a complete game shutout his last time out against an offensive-minded VMI team last Friday, striking out five and walking two.
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Lehigh should also see senior left-hander Matt Stamford (1-2, 7.41 ERA) make a start against the Bonnies, likely Saturday, with relievers Jack Hamilton (1-0 1.50) and Tyler Thompson (0-0, 5.00) also in the fold.
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The Mountain Hawks lead the Patriot League in all three major phases statistically, pacing the way in batting average (.296), team ERA (5.02) and fielding percentage (.979). Lehigh also leads the way in runs scored (106), home runs (19), RBIs (98), total bases (228), slugging percentage (.482) and on-base percentage (.399).
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St. Bonaventure comes into the weekend still searching for its first victory of the 2022 campaign, going 0-8 so far, not playing a game since Mar. 5 at Alabama State, where the Bonnies fell in three consecutive games. SBU's doubleheader at Mount St. Mary's and against UMBC in Emmitsburg was canceled due to snow.
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The closest the Bonnies have come to a win was against Marshall in the season opener, falling 11-7 in 10 innings. In total, St. Bonaventure has been out-scored 89-27 in eight games so far this year.
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Thomas Grilli leads the way with a team-best .375 batting average with six hits and a pair of RBIs while Brendyn Stillman delivered the team's lone home run on the season and his hitting .300 (9-for-30) with three doubles and four runs driven in.
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Left-hander Liam Devine (0-1, 12.27 ERA) is set to get the start for the Bonnies in the series opener Friday afternoon, who has struck out four batters and walked seven in 7.1 innings of work. Right-hander Rushil Bhat (0-0, 1.42) has been Saint Bonaventure's most consistent pitcher this season with just four hits and one run given up in four appearances, throwing a total of 6.1 innings.
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Friday's matchup will mark the 10th all-time meeting between Lehigh and St. Bonaventure with the Bonnies leading the series, 7-2. The Mountain Hawks are matching up against SBU for the first time since 2015, a three-game sweep for the Bonnies down in Port Charlotte, Fla.
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Only Friday's game will be streamed live on ESPN+ (subscription required) this weekend with first pitch set for 3:02 p.m. from Walker Field.
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Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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First-year Justin Butler went 4-for-6 with two homers, a double and five RBIs against Saint Peter's, upping his home run total to a Patriot League-leading five so far in 2022. Lehigh finished with a total of five long balls with one each for Casey Rother, Adam Retzbach and Rafe Perich. Retzbach has hit a home run in each of his last three games, second on the team with four this season at this point. Each member of the starting lineup tallied at least one hit against Peacock pitching including first-year Andrew Kohl who picked up a knock off the bench late in the game.
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Relief pitching was key for Lehigh against Peacock hitting as sophomore righty Teddy Tolliver (1-0) recorded his first collegiate victory, throwing 2.2 shutout innings of one-hit ball, striking out one and walking two. First-years Marcus Danchision and Perich combined to toss the final three innings of the outing without allowing a run or a base hit, striking out four batters to close out the game.
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Against FDU on Tuesday, senior right-hander Nick Pave (1-1) earned the win by throwing three shutout innings of relief, giving up just two hits with four strikeouts and a walk. First-year Val Taddei allowed just one earned on two hits in two innings of work, while junior Ryan Deom closed out the game retiring the side in order in back-to-back innings as the Mountain Hawks held on for the 15-7 win.
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A good majority of the Lehigh batting order has been efficient at the plate through the first 14 games of the season with five players hitting above .300, as well as first year Sam Holtz (.333) and senior Gerard Sweeney (.300), who have played less than five games. Rother leads the way with a .407 average (tied for the Patriot League lead) and 24 hits, driving in a total of 15 runs. Butler is batting .382 with five home runs, while first-year Jake Whitlinger (.375), sophomore Riley Davis (.320) and Perich (.315) are all hitting just as well.
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Reigning Patriot League Pitcher of the Week Luke Rettig will make his fifth start of the season Friday against St. Bonaventure, going 3-1 with a Patriot League-best 0.43 ERA, which is also the sixth-best in all of NCAA Division I. He has struck out 26 batters and walked 11 over 21.0 innings of work, all while allowing just one earned run. Rettig pitched a complete game shutout his last time out against an offensive-minded VMI team last Friday, striking out five and walking two.
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Lehigh should also see senior left-hander Matt Stamford (1-2, 7.41 ERA) make a start against the Bonnies, likely Saturday, with relievers Jack Hamilton (1-0 1.50) and Tyler Thompson (0-0, 5.00) also in the fold.
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The Mountain Hawks lead the Patriot League in all three major phases statistically, pacing the way in batting average (.296), team ERA (5.02) and fielding percentage (.979). Lehigh also leads the way in runs scored (106), home runs (19), RBIs (98), total bases (228), slugging percentage (.482) and on-base percentage (.399).
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St. Bonaventure comes into the weekend still searching for its first victory of the 2022 campaign, going 0-8 so far, not playing a game since Mar. 5 at Alabama State, where the Bonnies fell in three consecutive games. SBU's doubleheader at Mount St. Mary's and against UMBC in Emmitsburg was canceled due to snow.
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The closest the Bonnies have come to a win was against Marshall in the season opener, falling 11-7 in 10 innings. In total, St. Bonaventure has been out-scored 89-27 in eight games so far this year.
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Thomas Grilli leads the way with a team-best .375 batting average with six hits and a pair of RBIs while Brendyn Stillman delivered the team's lone home run on the season and his hitting .300 (9-for-30) with three doubles and four runs driven in.
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Left-hander Liam Devine (0-1, 12.27 ERA) is set to get the start for the Bonnies in the series opener Friday afternoon, who has struck out four batters and walked seven in 7.1 innings of work. Right-hander Rushil Bhat (0-0, 1.42) has been Saint Bonaventure's most consistent pitcher this season with just four hits and one run given up in four appearances, throwing a total of 6.1 innings.
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Friday's matchup will mark the 10th all-time meeting between Lehigh and St. Bonaventure with the Bonnies leading the series, 7-2. The Mountain Hawks are matching up against SBU for the first time since 2015, a three-game sweep for the Bonnies down in Port Charlotte, Fla.
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Only Friday's game will be streamed live on ESPN+ (subscription required) this weekend with first pitch set for 3:02 p.m. from Walker Field.
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Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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Players Mentioned
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OF/IF
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