Lehigh University
9-4-1
Coppin State University
3-7
Mountain Hawks Use Plate Patience To Top Coppin State 14-9
3/13/2024 8:56:00 PM | Baseball
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Lehigh led 9-3 after five innings, and following a six-run top of the sixth, the Mountain Hawks scored three runs in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead for good.
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The Mountain Hawks drew 20 walks and took advantage of five hit batters to offset the fact they only registered six hits.
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Junior Andrew Kohl homered, while juniors Rafe Perich and Justin Butler and sophomore Aidan Quinn all drove in three runs as the Mountain Hawks improve to 9-4-1 on the season.
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Senior Lucas Rich settled things down for Lehigh on the mound, tossing three scoreless frames to close out the game as he picked up his first victory of the season.
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Lehigh scored a run without the benefit of a hit in the home first as Quinn drew a bases-loaded walk to put the Mountain Hawks up 1-0 after an inning.
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Coppin State (3-7) tied the game with a sacrifice fly in the third and then Lehigh went back in front in the fourth when Butler was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Eagles took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth on a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch but then Lehigh answered with seven runs in the bottom of the fifth frame.
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Senior Tyler Young led off the home fifth with a single to center and Kohl followed by sending his second home run of the season out to right center to give the Mountain Hawks a 4-3 lead. A bases-loaded walk to sophomore Ryan Cochran and back-to-back two-run singles by Perich and Butler staked Lehigh to a 9-3 lead.
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Coppin State battled back with six runs in the top of the sixth, keyed by a three-run home run by Damon Gaither. Pinch hitter Bryce Thompson was hit by a pitch to bring home the tying run.
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In the bottom of the sixth, Lehigh went back in front for good as Perich drew a bases-loaded walk and two batters later Quinn singled home a pair of runs. The Mountain Hawks tacked on two more runs in the eighth when Young scored on a wild pitch and first-year Raffaele Rogers walked with the bases loaded.
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First-year Grady Golier started on the mound and had a good showing, allowing a run on a hit in three innings with two walks and three strikeouts. Rich was the fifth and final pitcher for the Mountain Hawks, and threw three scoreless innings, allowing two hits while striking out one and hitting a batter.
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Junior Jake Whitlinger also contributed at the top of Lehigh's lineup. He drew four walks, stole three bases and scored four runs. Whitlinger added a spectacular diving catch in left center to rob Samuel Nieves of a hit in the second inning.
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The Mountain Hawks will be off Thursday and then will open a four-game home-and-home series with Saint Peter's on Friday. Lehigh and Saint Peter's will play single games Friday (2:30 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) at J. David Walker Field, along with a noon doubleheader Saturday in New Jersey. The games hosted by Lehigh will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rich, Lucas (1-0)
L: MONTGOMERY, Jackson (0-1)
Batting:
HR: GAITHER, Damon 1
RBI: HOLM, Kai 1 ; GAITHER, Damon 4 ; ALONGI, Victor 1 ; THOMPSON, Bryce 1 ; WATSON, Braylon 1
SF: HOLM, Kai 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DIVITTORIO, Anthony 1 ; GAITHER, Damon 1 ; MARTE, Chris 1 ; NIEVES, Samuel 1 ; BLACK, Brody 2 ; MOORE, Daniel 1 ; WATSON, Braylon 2
SB: BLACK, Brody 1 ; WATSON, Braylon 1
HBP: DIVITTORIO, Anthony 2 ; NIEVES, Samuel 1 ; BLACK, Brody 1 ; MOORE, Daniel 1 ; THOMPSON, Bryce 1
Batting:
HR: Kohl, Andrew 1
RBI: Cochran, Ryan 1 ; Perich, Rafe 3 ; Butler, Justin 3 ; Quinn, Aidan 3 ; Kohl, Andrew 2 ; Rogers, Raffaele 1
SH: Hubbard, Braydon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Whitlinger, Jake 4 ; Cochran, Ryan 2 ; Perich, Rafe 2 ; Young, Tyler 2 ; Kohl, Andrew 1 ; Rogers, Raffaele 2 ; Walewander, Owen 1
SB: Whitlinger, Jake 3 ; Young, Tyler 2 ; Rogers, Raffaele 1
HBP: Cochran, Ryan 2 ; Butler, Justin 1 ; Rogers, Raffaele 2
