Tuesday, March 29
Bethlehem, Pa.
3 p.m.
Lehigh University
vs
Rider
Photo by: Lisa Stamford
Lehigh takes on Rider Tuesday in First Round of Liberty Bell Classic
3/28/2022 5:33:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Looking to get back on track after dropping four of its last five games, the Lehigh baseball team returns home to J. David Walker Field on Tuesday afternoon to take on visiting Rider at 3 p.m. in the first round of the Liberty Bell Classic.
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The winner of Tuesday's matchup will visit the winner of either St. Joseph's or Delaware next Tuesday in the second round with the winner poised to head to Citizens Bank Park for the championship game.
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The Mountain Hawks (13-10, 1-3 PL) are coming off a rough four-game series against Lafayette over the weekend in the first four games of the Patriot League slate. Lehigh dropped three of four, winning just the first game by a score of 1-0 after senior left-hander Luke Rettig's second complete game shutout of the season.
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For the most part throughout the weekend, Lehigh hitters struggled at a .215 clip, registering just 26 base hits in 121 at-bats. Sophomore Riley Davis was a bright spot, hitting .462 in the four-game weekend, going 6-of-13 from the plate with a home run, a double and two RBIs with 10 total bases. He slugged .769 and reached base at a .500 clip. Adam Retzbach recorded the Mountain Hawks' other homer on the weekend and went 4-for-12 from the plate with a double and three RBIs.
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Aside from Rettig's exceptional start in which he went seven full innings, allowing just five hits with zero runs with eight strikeouts and three walks, Lehigh starting pitching struggled until the fourth game of the series Sunday when junior righty Ben Christian threw 7.1 innings, allowing two runs, one earned on four hits with four strikeouts and a walk.
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Davis enters Tuesday's game as Lehigh's strongest hitter, hitting .351with 27 hits, seven doubles, two home runs and 16 RBIs. He's currently in the midst of a season-long 19-game reached base streak. He's slugging .545 and with 10 walks and two hit by pitches, has an on-base percentage of .433. Davis, Justin Butler (.343), Jake Whitlinger (.342), Rafe Perich (.329) and Casey Rother (.315) are all hitting above .300 so far this year. Butler leads the Mountain Hawks and the Patriot League in home runs with seven, while Retzbach trails closely in second with five.
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On the mound, sophomore right-hander Teddy Tolliver (1-0, 2.84 ERA) will get the start Tuesday against the Broncs for Lehigh, striking out three batters with three walks in 6.1 innings of work, making five appearances. Tuesday will mark Tolliver's first career collegiate start.
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In relief, first-years Val Taddei (0-0, 2.16) and Jack Hamilton (2-0, 2.53) both have had strong starts to their Lehigh careers and could find time in Tuesday's matchup, while junior Ryan Deom (0-0, 5.40) made the start at Penn last Wednesday.
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Rider (12-10, 3-0 MAAC) are coming off three consecutive victories to open up MAAC play against Iona over the weekend on the road. The Broncs topped the Gaels, 3-1 Friday, 15-3 Saturday and 8-1 on Sunday to wrap up the series.
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Scott Shaw leads Rider with a .368 batting average in 10 games, getting five extra base hits with two doubles, two homers and a triple. Jake Barbiere is slashing .313/.450/.382 in 20 games while Brendan O'Donnell keads the way with seven home runs, four doubles, a triple and 20 RBIs while boasting a slugging percentage of .627.
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Right-hander Kenny Quijano (1-1, 9.26 ERA) will get the start for the Broncs on Tuesday, allowing 17 hits, 13 runs (12 earned) in 11.2 innings of work, with 13 strikeouts and eight walks in his five appearances, making three starts. Danny Kirwin has been dominant out of the bullpen for Rider this season, going 3-0 with a 3.14 ERA in nine outings, striking out 10 with five walks in 14.1 innings of work and holding batters to an average of .226.
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Rider has success against the Patriot League earlier this season with a 6-4 win over Lafayette on Feb. 19 down in Winston-Salem, N.C.
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The Broncs lead the all-time series over Lehigh, 36-15 in a series that dates back to the 1967 season. The Mountain Hawks topped Rider, 5-3 on the road back in 2018 in the first round of the Liberty Bell Classic.
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Tuesday's ballgame will be streamed live on ESPN+ (subscription required) 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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The winner of Tuesday's matchup will visit the winner of either St. Joseph's or Delaware next Tuesday in the second round with the winner poised to head to Citizens Bank Park for the championship game.
Â
The Mountain Hawks (13-10, 1-3 PL) are coming off a rough four-game series against Lafayette over the weekend in the first four games of the Patriot League slate. Lehigh dropped three of four, winning just the first game by a score of 1-0 after senior left-hander Luke Rettig's second complete game shutout of the season.
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For the most part throughout the weekend, Lehigh hitters struggled at a .215 clip, registering just 26 base hits in 121 at-bats. Sophomore Riley Davis was a bright spot, hitting .462 in the four-game weekend, going 6-of-13 from the plate with a home run, a double and two RBIs with 10 total bases. He slugged .769 and reached base at a .500 clip. Adam Retzbach recorded the Mountain Hawks' other homer on the weekend and went 4-for-12 from the plate with a double and three RBIs.
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Aside from Rettig's exceptional start in which he went seven full innings, allowing just five hits with zero runs with eight strikeouts and three walks, Lehigh starting pitching struggled until the fourth game of the series Sunday when junior righty Ben Christian threw 7.1 innings, allowing two runs, one earned on four hits with four strikeouts and a walk.
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Davis enters Tuesday's game as Lehigh's strongest hitter, hitting .351with 27 hits, seven doubles, two home runs and 16 RBIs. He's currently in the midst of a season-long 19-game reached base streak. He's slugging .545 and with 10 walks and two hit by pitches, has an on-base percentage of .433. Davis, Justin Butler (.343), Jake Whitlinger (.342), Rafe Perich (.329) and Casey Rother (.315) are all hitting above .300 so far this year. Butler leads the Mountain Hawks and the Patriot League in home runs with seven, while Retzbach trails closely in second with five.
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On the mound, sophomore right-hander Teddy Tolliver (1-0, 2.84 ERA) will get the start Tuesday against the Broncs for Lehigh, striking out three batters with three walks in 6.1 innings of work, making five appearances. Tuesday will mark Tolliver's first career collegiate start.
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In relief, first-years Val Taddei (0-0, 2.16) and Jack Hamilton (2-0, 2.53) both have had strong starts to their Lehigh careers and could find time in Tuesday's matchup, while junior Ryan Deom (0-0, 5.40) made the start at Penn last Wednesday.
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Rider (12-10, 3-0 MAAC) are coming off three consecutive victories to open up MAAC play against Iona over the weekend on the road. The Broncs topped the Gaels, 3-1 Friday, 15-3 Saturday and 8-1 on Sunday to wrap up the series.
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Scott Shaw leads Rider with a .368 batting average in 10 games, getting five extra base hits with two doubles, two homers and a triple. Jake Barbiere is slashing .313/.450/.382 in 20 games while Brendan O'Donnell keads the way with seven home runs, four doubles, a triple and 20 RBIs while boasting a slugging percentage of .627.
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Right-hander Kenny Quijano (1-1, 9.26 ERA) will get the start for the Broncs on Tuesday, allowing 17 hits, 13 runs (12 earned) in 11.2 innings of work, with 13 strikeouts and eight walks in his five appearances, making three starts. Danny Kirwin has been dominant out of the bullpen for Rider this season, going 3-0 with a 3.14 ERA in nine outings, striking out 10 with five walks in 14.1 innings of work and holding batters to an average of .226.
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Rider has success against the Patriot League earlier this season with a 6-4 win over Lafayette on Feb. 19 down in Winston-Salem, N.C.
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The Broncs lead the all-time series over Lehigh, 36-15 in a series that dates back to the 1967 season. The Mountain Hawks topped Rider, 5-3 on the road back in 2018 in the first round of the Liberty Bell Classic.
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Tuesday's ballgame will be streamed live on ESPN+ (subscription required) 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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