Friday, March 17
Bethlehem, Pa.
2:30 p.m.
Lehigh University
9-8
3
vs
4
Saint Peter's University
1-14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Saint Peter's
0
0
0
2
0
2
0
0
0
4
6
0
Lehigh
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
5
0
Photo by: Maria Bouchard
Lehigh Falls to Saint Peter’s in Series Opener
3/17/2023 6:10:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh baseball team (9-8) took a three-run lead in the third inning before Saint Peter's (1-14) scored four unanswered runs to take down the Mountain Hawks 4-3 at J. David Walker Field at Legacy Park on Friday afternoon.
After two scoreless frames, sophomore Justin Butler crushed the first pitch he saw for a solo home run and put Lehigh up 1-0. A couple of bases-loaded walks to fifth-year Gerard Sweeney and sophomore Andrew Kohl scored two more runs to give the Mountain Hawks a 3-0 advantage after three innings.
In the top of the fourth, the Peacocks scored two runs on a single hit by Tyler Declusin to cut the Lehigh lead to just one run, 3-2. After a scoreless fifth inning, Saint Peter's scored the game-tying run on a wild pitch that allowed Anthony Abbatine to score from third and then took the lead when Johnathan Behn singled home a run for a 4-3 lead.
The Mountain Hawks had two runners on base in the eighth inning and the Peacocks turned a double play to head to the final frame. After Lehigh got the lead runner on base in its final at-bats, Saint Peter's turned its fourth double play of the afternoon. The Mountain Hawks lined out to third for the final out and the Peacocks held on to defeat Lehigh 4-3 for their first win of the season.
Three Mountain Hawks collected the five hits they had in the game, with Butler and sophomore Jake Whitlinger each going 2-for-3 in the game. Butler hit his second home run of the season with an RBI and a stolen base while Whitlinger recorded two doubles on the day and was walked and hit by a pitch. Fifth-year Casey Rother got his lone hit on a double that hit off the top of the left-center field wall and drew a walk. Butler, Whitlinger and sophomore Rafe Perich scored the three runs for Lehigh in the game and were walked eight times in the game.
Teddy Tolliver, the junior right-hander, got the start and threw 3.2 innings of work with two earned runs on two hits and six strikeouts. He was relieved by sophomore right-hander Jack Hamilton (L, 0-1) who tossed 1.1 innings with two earned runs, hits, and strikeouts. First-year right-handed pitcher, Shane O'Neill hurled three scoreless innings with two strikeouts and two hits before senior right-hander Will Grisack finished the game with one inning pitched without allowing a hit and struck out one batter. Hamilton was dealt the loss in the decision.
Lehigh has announced a change to the weekend's schedule. Instead of playing one game Saturday and the final game Sunday, the Mountain Hawks and Peacocks will now play a doubleheader Saturday with a seven-inning game scheduled to start at 12 p.m. with a nine-inning game set to take place following the day's first game. Live stats will be available HERE!
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
After two scoreless frames, sophomore Justin Butler crushed the first pitch he saw for a solo home run and put Lehigh up 1-0. A couple of bases-loaded walks to fifth-year Gerard Sweeney and sophomore Andrew Kohl scored two more runs to give the Mountain Hawks a 3-0 advantage after three innings.
BUTLER 💣!!
— Lehigh Baseball (@LehighBaseball) March 17, 2023
Opposite field home run for Justin Butler gives Lehigh a 1-0 lead.
Watch on @PatriotLeagueTV and @ESPN+ (https://t.co/w2lAStyojz)#GoLehigh | #RTTR pic.twitter.com/R8j6c9l3Uf
In the top of the fourth, the Peacocks scored two runs on a single hit by Tyler Declusin to cut the Lehigh lead to just one run, 3-2. After a scoreless fifth inning, Saint Peter's scored the game-tying run on a wild pitch that allowed Anthony Abbatine to score from third and then took the lead when Johnathan Behn singled home a run for a 4-3 lead.
The Mountain Hawks had two runners on base in the eighth inning and the Peacocks turned a double play to head to the final frame. After Lehigh got the lead runner on base in its final at-bats, Saint Peter's turned its fourth double play of the afternoon. The Mountain Hawks lined out to third for the final out and the Peacocks held on to defeat Lehigh 4-3 for their first win of the season.
Three Mountain Hawks collected the five hits they had in the game, with Butler and sophomore Jake Whitlinger each going 2-for-3 in the game. Butler hit his second home run of the season with an RBI and a stolen base while Whitlinger recorded two doubles on the day and was walked and hit by a pitch. Fifth-year Casey Rother got his lone hit on a double that hit off the top of the left-center field wall and drew a walk. Butler, Whitlinger and sophomore Rafe Perich scored the three runs for Lehigh in the game and were walked eight times in the game.
Teddy Tolliver, the junior right-hander, got the start and threw 3.2 innings of work with two earned runs on two hits and six strikeouts. He was relieved by sophomore right-hander Jack Hamilton (L, 0-1) who tossed 1.1 innings with two earned runs, hits, and strikeouts. First-year right-handed pitcher, Shane O'Neill hurled three scoreless innings with two strikeouts and two hits before senior right-hander Will Grisack finished the game with one inning pitched without allowing a hit and struck out one batter. Hamilton was dealt the loss in the decision.
Lehigh has announced a change to the weekend's schedule. Instead of playing one game Saturday and the final game Sunday, the Mountain Hawks and Peacocks will now play a doubleheader Saturday with a seven-inning game scheduled to start at 12 p.m. with a nine-inning game set to take place following the day's first game. Live stats will be available HERE!
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Seymour,Ryan (1-0)
L: Hamilton, Jack (0-1)
S: Walker,Zach (1)
Batting:
RBI: Behm,Johnathan 1 ; DeClusin,Tyler 2
SH: Markantonatos,Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Abbatine,Anthony 1 ; Eichler,Jack 1 ; Haney,Sam 2
SB: Eichler,Jack 1
HBP: Haney,Sam 1 ; Markantonatos,Nick 1
Batting:
2B: Whitlinger, Jake 2 ; Rother, Casey 1
HR: Butler, Justin 1
RBI: Sweeney, Gerard 1 ; Kohl, Andrew 1 ; Butler, Justin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Whitlinger, Jake 1 ; Perich, Rafe 1 ; Butler, Justin 1
SB: Butler, Justin 1
HBP: Whitlinger, Jake 1 ; Gorla, Joe 1 ; Cochran, Ryan 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballIF/RHP
/ BaseballOF/RHP
/ Baseball
1B
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF/IF
/ BaseballBaseball vs. Coppin State
Tuesday, April 29
Baseball vs. Penn
Wednesday, March 19
Baseball vs. UAlbany
Sunday, March 16
Season Preview Baseball
Thursday, February 13
