Saturday, March 26
Easton, Pa.
12 p.m.
Lehigh University
at
Lafayette
Photo by: Hannahally Photography
Lehigh kickstarts Patriot League play with four-game series at Lafayette
3/25/2022 4:40:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — After having its six-game win streak snapped on Wednesday afternoon against Penn, the Lehigh baseball team gets back to work with Patriot League play, taking on archival Lafayette for four games from Kamine Stadium in Easton. The Mountain Hawks (12-7) visit the Leopards (4-17) with doubleheaders set for noon Saturday and Sunday.
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Lehigh fell to the Quakers, 16-6 on Wednesday in Philadelphia despite getting out to an early 1-0 lead off Gerard Sweeney's fourth home run of the season and after getting in an early hole, fought back to tie the game in the middle innings before giving up 10 unanswered runs to finish the contest.
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The Mountain Hawks used nine different arms in the loss, while Marcus Danchision (0-1, 21.00 ERA) was charged with the defeat. First-year Najir Glenn was Lehigh's most effective reliever, striking out four over two innings of work and 43 pitches. Both first-years Timmy Kenney and Gunnar Goodwin made their collegiate debuts for Lehigh.
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At the plate, senior Casey Rother led the way with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Sweeney and Tyler Young each registered knocks. Sophomore Riley Davis also picked up a hit, a three-run bases clearing double that tied the game at 6-6 in the fifth inning.
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First-year Justin Butler, who was named both Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week and Patriot League Rookie of the Week, went 0-for-3 with a run scored and two strikeouts against the Quakers. He hit four home runs last week and currently leads the Patriot League in homers with seven through 19 games.
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Rother leads the Mountain Hawks in hitting with a slashline of .359/.526/.427 with 28 hits, seven doubles, two home runs and 17 RBIs. Six others are hitting above .300 so far with Butler (.346), first-year Jake Whitlinger (.333), Davis (.328), first-year Rafe Perich (.324), Sweeney (.323) and Young (.317).
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Lehigh has totaled 25 home runs as a team, by far the top mark in the Patriot League this season with Butler pacing the way with seven. Sweeney and junior Adam Retzbach have both hit four long balls, while Perich has three.
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Senior left-hander Luke Rettig (4-1, 0.32 ERA) has been phenomenal this season on the mound of the Mountain Hawks, surrendering just one earned run over 28.0 innings of work. In his last start, Rettig went seven innings against St. Bonaventure last Friday, striking out seven and walking one with one run (none earned) and five hits given up. He has 33 strikeouts and just 12 walks against him this year. With league play starting up this weekend, Rettig went 1-2 with a 3.96 ERA in eight league appearances (six starts) in 2021. He struck out 39 and walked 10 in 38.2 innings. In 21.2 innings against Lafayette in his career, Rettig is 0-0 with an ERA of 0.83 over 21.2 innings, striking out 21 and walking five. He's held Leopard hitters to a career .190 batting average.
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The Mountain Hawks will have several arms going in starts against the Leopards this weekend, with junior right-hander Carlos Torres (1-0, 8.78) coming off a strong appearance against the Bonnies last weekend, senior left-hander Matt Stamford (1-2, 6.86) and junior righty Ben Christian (2-0, 4.26) all in the fold this weekend. In relief, three pitchers have registered an ERA under 3.00 this season so far with first-years Jack Hamilton (2-0, 1.13) and Val Taddei (0-0, 2.16), as well as sophomore Teddy Tolliver (1-0, 2.84).
Lafayette is 4-17 to start the season, coming off a 13-3 victory over Saint Peter's on Wednesday at home, improving to 2-0 at Kamine Stadium to start the campaign. Seif Ingram went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs while Pete Ciuffreda drove in three runs in the Leopards' 10-run win over the Peacocks.
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Jordan Yoder (2-1) earned his second victory of the season after gong one inning with two strikeouts, while Frank Craska closed the game out with two shutout frames and three strikeouts.
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The contest was called after the top half of the sixth inning due to darkness.
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Only Ciuffreda (.303) is hitting above .300 to start the season with three home runs, six doubles, a triple and 24 RBIs in 21 games. Dylan Minghini has totaled three homers with 15 RBIs so far this year.
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On the mound, Nolan Morr is 1-3 with a 5.74 ERA in four starts, striking out 26 with only five walks. Luke Benneche leads the Patriot League in strikeouts with 34, going 1-4 with a 7.01 ERA in 25.2 innings of work.
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Lafayette pitching has an ERA of 11.16 and a WHIP of 2.25 in 21 games so far this year, walking 130 with 173 total strikeouts.
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The beginning of this weekend's series will mark the 381st meeting between Lehigh and Lafayette with the Leopards leading the all-time series, 213-165-2. The Mountain Hawks won the season series, 3-1 in 2021, taking all three in Easton last year.
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All four matchups this weekend from Kamine Stadium will be streamed live on ESPN+ (subscription required).
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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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Lehigh fell to the Quakers, 16-6 on Wednesday in Philadelphia despite getting out to an early 1-0 lead off Gerard Sweeney's fourth home run of the season and after getting in an early hole, fought back to tie the game in the middle innings before giving up 10 unanswered runs to finish the contest.
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The Mountain Hawks used nine different arms in the loss, while Marcus Danchision (0-1, 21.00 ERA) was charged with the defeat. First-year Najir Glenn was Lehigh's most effective reliever, striking out four over two innings of work and 43 pitches. Both first-years Timmy Kenney and Gunnar Goodwin made their collegiate debuts for Lehigh.
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At the plate, senior Casey Rother led the way with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Sweeney and Tyler Young each registered knocks. Sophomore Riley Davis also picked up a hit, a three-run bases clearing double that tied the game at 6-6 in the fifth inning.
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First-year Justin Butler, who was named both Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week and Patriot League Rookie of the Week, went 0-for-3 with a run scored and two strikeouts against the Quakers. He hit four home runs last week and currently leads the Patriot League in homers with seven through 19 games.
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Rother leads the Mountain Hawks in hitting with a slashline of .359/.526/.427 with 28 hits, seven doubles, two home runs and 17 RBIs. Six others are hitting above .300 so far with Butler (.346), first-year Jake Whitlinger (.333), Davis (.328), first-year Rafe Perich (.324), Sweeney (.323) and Young (.317).
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Lehigh has totaled 25 home runs as a team, by far the top mark in the Patriot League this season with Butler pacing the way with seven. Sweeney and junior Adam Retzbach have both hit four long balls, while Perich has three.
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Senior left-hander Luke Rettig (4-1, 0.32 ERA) has been phenomenal this season on the mound of the Mountain Hawks, surrendering just one earned run over 28.0 innings of work. In his last start, Rettig went seven innings against St. Bonaventure last Friday, striking out seven and walking one with one run (none earned) and five hits given up. He has 33 strikeouts and just 12 walks against him this year. With league play starting up this weekend, Rettig went 1-2 with a 3.96 ERA in eight league appearances (six starts) in 2021. He struck out 39 and walked 10 in 38.2 innings. In 21.2 innings against Lafayette in his career, Rettig is 0-0 with an ERA of 0.83 over 21.2 innings, striking out 21 and walking five. He's held Leopard hitters to a career .190 batting average.
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The Mountain Hawks will have several arms going in starts against the Leopards this weekend, with junior right-hander Carlos Torres (1-0, 8.78) coming off a strong appearance against the Bonnies last weekend, senior left-hander Matt Stamford (1-2, 6.86) and junior righty Ben Christian (2-0, 4.26) all in the fold this weekend. In relief, three pitchers have registered an ERA under 3.00 this season so far with first-years Jack Hamilton (2-0, 1.13) and Val Taddei (0-0, 2.16), as well as sophomore Teddy Tolliver (1-0, 2.84).
Lafayette is 4-17 to start the season, coming off a 13-3 victory over Saint Peter's on Wednesday at home, improving to 2-0 at Kamine Stadium to start the campaign. Seif Ingram went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs while Pete Ciuffreda drove in three runs in the Leopards' 10-run win over the Peacocks.
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Jordan Yoder (2-1) earned his second victory of the season after gong one inning with two strikeouts, while Frank Craska closed the game out with two shutout frames and three strikeouts.
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The contest was called after the top half of the sixth inning due to darkness.
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Only Ciuffreda (.303) is hitting above .300 to start the season with three home runs, six doubles, a triple and 24 RBIs in 21 games. Dylan Minghini has totaled three homers with 15 RBIs so far this year.
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On the mound, Nolan Morr is 1-3 with a 5.74 ERA in four starts, striking out 26 with only five walks. Luke Benneche leads the Patriot League in strikeouts with 34, going 1-4 with a 7.01 ERA in 25.2 innings of work.
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Lafayette pitching has an ERA of 11.16 and a WHIP of 2.25 in 21 games so far this year, walking 130 with 173 total strikeouts.
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The beginning of this weekend's series will mark the 381st meeting between Lehigh and Lafayette with the Leopards leading the all-time series, 213-165-2. The Mountain Hawks won the season series, 3-1 in 2021, taking all three in Easton last year.
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All four matchups this weekend from Kamine Stadium will be streamed live on ESPN+ (subscription required).
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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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