Saturday, May 6
Bethlehem, Pa.
12 p.m.
Lehigh University
21-26, 7-15
2
vs
3
Army
32-14, 19-3
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2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Army West Point
0
1
1
0
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1
0
3
7
1
Lehigh
0
1
0
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0
0
1
2
6
2
Photo by: Holly Fasching
Mountain Hawks Split Saturday Doubleheader with Army West Point on Senior Day
5/6/2023 8:43:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh baseball team (22-26, 8-15 Patriot League) scored a run late to cut the deficit to one run, but was unable to come from behind in game one, falling 3-2 before the Mountain Hawks earned a 6-1 victory over Army West Point (32-15, 19-4 Patriot League) to split the doubleheader on Senior Day at J. David Walker Field.
Prior to the start of today's games, the Lehigh Baseball program honored its three graduating seniors, (Ben Christian, Ryan Deom, and Will Grisack) and their four-year careers wearing the Brown and White.
Gallery: (5-6-2023) 2023 Baseball Senior Day (May 6, 2023)
Game 1 – L, 3-2
After a scoreless first frame, the Black Knights scored their first run of the game when Ethan Ellis reached base safely on a fielder's choice bunt that scored Braden Golinski to take a 1-0 lead. Lehigh countered in the home half of the second inning when fifth-year Joe Gorla crushed a solo home run to tie the game at 1-1.
Army scored the go-ahead run in the top of the third when Ross Friedrick singled into right field which allowed Kevin Dubrule to score from first base to make it 2-1. Addison Ainsworth added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Golinski to put the Black Knights up 3-1 in the sixth.
Lehigh managed to plate one run in the bottom of the seventh when junior Riley Davis hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Gorla, but that would be all that the Mountain Hawks could muster, falling 3-2 to Army in game one of the doubleheader.
Both starters went the distance for each squad with Army's Matthew Ronnebaum (W, 6-3) twirling a seven-inning complete game and allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits with seven strikeouts while fifth-year Luke Rettig (L, 6-4) also threw a complete game and gave up three runs, two earned, on seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
Gorla and fifth-year Casey Rother both recorded two hits in the game with Gorla scoring twice and plating the lone runs while junior Tyler Young and sophomore Jake Whitlinger were credited with the other Lehigh hits for its six in the game.
Army's Bubrule, Friedrick and Golinski turned in multi-hit performances while Coleson Titus reached base safely once as the Black Knights collected seven hits.
Game 2 – W, 6-1
In the second game of the twin bill, the Mountain Hawks were the first to strike when Young reached base on a fielder's choice to the shortstop and brought sophomore Rafe Perich home to give Lehigh a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Army found the equalizer in the top of the third when Sam Ruta flew out to left field that scored Ainsworth from third base to tie the game at 1-1.
Lehigh scored five unanswered runs throughout the rest of the game starting with a Whitlinger RBI single to center field that scored first-year Owen Walewander for a 2-1 lead in the third. In the fifth frame, Perich connected for a two-run homer to extend the Mountain Hawks' advantage to 4-1.
The Brown and White added two more runs in the home half of the seventh when first-year Dom Patrizi singled to right-center field to score Gorla. Fifth-year Austin Dambach dropped down a sacrifice bunt that brought home Young for the final run of the game as Lehigh went on to win 6-1 to split the doubleheader.
Sophomore Alex Bouchard (W, 4-2) got the start in game two, throwing five innings with one run on five hits, a walk and a strikeout before classmate Val Taddei (S, 1) was summoned out of the bullpen. Taddei tossed four scoreless innings and allowed just one hit with a couple of Ks and two walks to earn the first save of his career.
The Black Knights also used two pitchers, with Robbie Buecker (L, 4-3) starting on the mound and throwing 4.2 innings of work with four runs, three earned, on 11 hits with a walk and a strikeout. Joe Valchar relieved Buecker and tossed 3.1 innings with two runs allowed on three hits and a walk.
Friedrick was the lone Black Knight to record a multi-hit game, reaching base safely twice including a double while four others each had a base knock for the six hits in the game.
Perich and Patrizi both collected three hits in the game with Perich hitting his sixth homer of the year and plated two runs while scoring two runs. Patrizi drove in one run while Whitlinger, Young and Dambach each had two hits and recorded an RBI.
Lehigh will conclude its 2023 season with a Patriot League doubleheader against Holy Cross on Sunday with game one set to begin at 12 p.m.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more. content, team updates and more.
Prior to the start of today's games, the Lehigh Baseball program honored its three graduating seniors, (Ben Christian, Ryan Deom, and Will Grisack) and their four-year careers wearing the Brown and White.
Game 1 – L, 3-2
After a scoreless first frame, the Black Knights scored their first run of the game when Ethan Ellis reached base safely on a fielder's choice bunt that scored Braden Golinski to take a 1-0 lead. Lehigh countered in the home half of the second inning when fifth-year Joe Gorla crushed a solo home run to tie the game at 1-1.
Army scored the go-ahead run in the top of the third when Ross Friedrick singled into right field which allowed Kevin Dubrule to score from first base to make it 2-1. Addison Ainsworth added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Golinski to put the Black Knights up 3-1 in the sixth.
Lehigh managed to plate one run in the bottom of the seventh when junior Riley Davis hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Gorla, but that would be all that the Mountain Hawks could muster, falling 3-2 to Army in game one of the doubleheader.
Both starters went the distance for each squad with Army's Matthew Ronnebaum (W, 6-3) twirling a seven-inning complete game and allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits with seven strikeouts while fifth-year Luke Rettig (L, 6-4) also threw a complete game and gave up three runs, two earned, on seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
Gorla and fifth-year Casey Rother both recorded two hits in the game with Gorla scoring twice and plating the lone runs while junior Tyler Young and sophomore Jake Whitlinger were credited with the other Lehigh hits for its six in the game.
Army's Bubrule, Friedrick and Golinski turned in multi-hit performances while Coleson Titus reached base safely once as the Black Knights collected seven hits.
Game 2 – W, 6-1
In the second game of the twin bill, the Mountain Hawks were the first to strike when Young reached base on a fielder's choice to the shortstop and brought sophomore Rafe Perich home to give Lehigh a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Army found the equalizer in the top of the third when Sam Ruta flew out to left field that scored Ainsworth from third base to tie the game at 1-1.
Lehigh scored five unanswered runs throughout the rest of the game starting with a Whitlinger RBI single to center field that scored first-year Owen Walewander for a 2-1 lead in the third. In the fifth frame, Perich connected for a two-run homer to extend the Mountain Hawks' advantage to 4-1.
The Brown and White added two more runs in the home half of the seventh when first-year Dom Patrizi singled to right-center field to score Gorla. Fifth-year Austin Dambach dropped down a sacrifice bunt that brought home Young for the final run of the game as Lehigh went on to win 6-1 to split the doubleheader.
Sophomore Alex Bouchard (W, 4-2) got the start in game two, throwing five innings with one run on five hits, a walk and a strikeout before classmate Val Taddei (S, 1) was summoned out of the bullpen. Taddei tossed four scoreless innings and allowed just one hit with a couple of Ks and two walks to earn the first save of his career.
The Black Knights also used two pitchers, with Robbie Buecker (L, 4-3) starting on the mound and throwing 4.2 innings of work with four runs, three earned, on 11 hits with a walk and a strikeout. Joe Valchar relieved Buecker and tossed 3.1 innings with two runs allowed on three hits and a walk.
Friedrick was the lone Black Knight to record a multi-hit game, reaching base safely twice including a double while four others each had a base knock for the six hits in the game.
Perich and Patrizi both collected three hits in the game with Perich hitting his sixth homer of the year and plated two runs while scoring two runs. Patrizi drove in one run while Whitlinger, Young and Dambach each had two hits and recorded an RBI.
Lehigh will conclude its 2023 season with a Patriot League doubleheader against Holy Cross on Sunday with game one set to begin at 12 p.m.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more. content, team updates and more.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Matthew Ronnebaum (6-3)
L: Rettig, Luke (6-4)
Batting:
RBI: Ross Friedrick 1 ; Ethan Ellis 1 ; Addison Ainsworth 1
SF: Addison Ainsworth 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kevin Dubrule 1 ; Braden Golinski 2
SB: Braden Golinski 1
Batting:
HR: Gorla, Joe 1
RBI: Gorla, Joe 1 ; Davis, Riley 1
SF: Davis, Riley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gorla, Joe 2
SB: Whitlinger, Jake 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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LHP
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