Friday, March 22
Easton, Pa.
12:00 PM
Lehigh University
13-6, 1-0
5
at
4
Lafayette College
3-17, 0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
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H
E
Lehigh
0
0
0
0
0
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5
5
5
0
Lafayette
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
4
8
1
Photo by: Ryan McGettigan
Mountain Hawks Split Doubleheader With Lafayette To Open Patriot League Play
3/22/2024 7:14:00 PM | Baseball
EASTON, Pa. – Lehigh baseball kicked off its Patriot League portion of the schedule on Friday afternoon for a doubleheader against rival Lafayette. The Mountain Hawks stunned the Leopards 5-4 in a seven-inning game one and dropped game two by a score of 6-4 in nine innings.
Marcus Danchision started on the mound for Lehigh (13-7-1) in game one, tossing 5.1 dazzling innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts. Brandon Coughlin earned the win for Lehigh after entering in Danchision's relief in the sixth inning. The loss for Lafayette (4-17) was credited to Joe Skapinetz, who impressed with nine strikeouts through six innings.
It was a pitcher's duel for the majority of game one, as Danchision and Skapinetz traded strikeouts throughout the afternoon. The two combined for 20 strikeouts and only six hits through the first five innings, and as a result the game's score was knotted at 0-0 through five.
The Leopards were the first to break through in the bottom of the sixth, as a two-run shot from Ethan Swidler put Lafayette ahead 2-0. Coughlin took place of Danchision on the mound, and despite loading the bases, was able to get out of the jam to give the Mountain Hawks one final chance in the top of the seventh.
After Raffaele Rogers got on base via an error, Jake Whitlinger's single to center field sent him home to give the Mountain Hawks their first run of the afternoon. Craylor entered the game for Skapinetz following the run, walking his first batter to load the bases. This made way for Rafe Perich, who homered to right field for a bases-clearing grand slam to put the Mountain Hawks ahead 5-2. Although the Leopards got two runs across the plate in the bottom of the frame, sophomore Tommy Lamar secured his fourth save of the year to clinch the game one win for Lehigh.
Jack Hamilton started on the mound and received the loss in game two, striking out five while allowing three runs in 3.0 innings of work. Lafayette's Trace Florio earned the win after tossing 7.0 innings while striking out four with three runs allowed.
The Leopards opened the game's scoring in the second inning courtesy of a Justin Grech single to left field that scored Michael Zarrillo. Their lead would increase to three the following inning off of an Easton Brenner two-run homer, and the Mountain Hawks quickly found themselves trailing 3-0 through three innings.
Lehigh's offense showed its first signs of life in the fourth, as first-year Raffaele Rogers doubled home Tyler Young for the Mountain Hawks' first run. However, Ryan Grace followed suit with an RBI double of his own in the bottom of the frame to extend Lafayette's lead back to three. The Leopards added two more insurance runs from two sac-flies in the fifth inning, setting the score at 6-1.
Needing another late rally, Owen Walewander delivered a solo home run in the sixth to cut the deficit to four. An Andrew Kohl RBI single in the seventh and a Rogers solo shot in the eighth brought the Mountain Hawks within two, but Lehigh split the doubleheader after going scoreless in the top of the ninth.
The Mountain Hawks will return to Easton for another doubleheader with the Leopards on Sunday, March 24. Game one is slated to begin at 12 p.m. from Kamine Stadium.
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Marcus Danchision started on the mound for Lehigh (13-7-1) in game one, tossing 5.1 dazzling innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts. Brandon Coughlin earned the win for Lehigh after entering in Danchision's relief in the sixth inning. The loss for Lafayette (4-17) was credited to Joe Skapinetz, who impressed with nine strikeouts through six innings.
It was a pitcher's duel for the majority of game one, as Danchision and Skapinetz traded strikeouts throughout the afternoon. The two combined for 20 strikeouts and only six hits through the first five innings, and as a result the game's score was knotted at 0-0 through five.
The Leopards were the first to break through in the bottom of the sixth, as a two-run shot from Ethan Swidler put Lafayette ahead 2-0. Coughlin took place of Danchision on the mound, and despite loading the bases, was able to get out of the jam to give the Mountain Hawks one final chance in the top of the seventh.
After Raffaele Rogers got on base via an error, Jake Whitlinger's single to center field sent him home to give the Mountain Hawks their first run of the afternoon. Craylor entered the game for Skapinetz following the run, walking his first batter to load the bases. This made way for Rafe Perich, who homered to right field for a bases-clearing grand slam to put the Mountain Hawks ahead 5-2. Although the Leopards got two runs across the plate in the bottom of the frame, sophomore Tommy Lamar secured his fourth save of the year to clinch the game one win for Lehigh.
Jack Hamilton started on the mound and received the loss in game two, striking out five while allowing three runs in 3.0 innings of work. Lafayette's Trace Florio earned the win after tossing 7.0 innings while striking out four with three runs allowed.
The Leopards opened the game's scoring in the second inning courtesy of a Justin Grech single to left field that scored Michael Zarrillo. Their lead would increase to three the following inning off of an Easton Brenner two-run homer, and the Mountain Hawks quickly found themselves trailing 3-0 through three innings.
Lehigh's offense showed its first signs of life in the fourth, as first-year Raffaele Rogers doubled home Tyler Young for the Mountain Hawks' first run. However, Ryan Grace followed suit with an RBI double of his own in the bottom of the frame to extend Lafayette's lead back to three. The Leopards added two more insurance runs from two sac-flies in the fifth inning, setting the score at 6-1.
Needing another late rally, Owen Walewander delivered a solo home run in the sixth to cut the deficit to four. An Andrew Kohl RBI single in the seventh and a Rogers solo shot in the eighth brought the Mountain Hawks within two, but Lehigh split the doubleheader after going scoreless in the top of the ninth.
The Mountain Hawks will return to Easton for another doubleheader with the Leopards on Sunday, March 24. Game one is slated to begin at 12 p.m. from Kamine Stadium.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Coughlin, Brandon (1-1)
L: Skapinetz (1-3)
S: Lamar, Tommy (4)
Batting:
HR: Perich, Rafe 1
RBI: Whitlinger, Jake 1 ; Perich, Rafe 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Whitlinger, Jake 1 ; Cochran, Ryan 1 ; Perich, Rafe 1 ; Rogers, Raffaele 1 ; Carvelli, Robbie 1
HBP: Whitlinger, Jake 1
Batting:
2B: Fadio 1 ; Zarrillo 1
3B: Cashman 1
HR: Swidler 1
RBI: Swidler 2 ; Fadio 1 ; Zarrillo 1
SF: Fadio 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brenner 2 ; Swidler 2
HBP: Mallas 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP/OF
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RHP
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RHP
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OF
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RHP
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IF
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