Lehigh Splits Doubleheader With Game One Win Against Army West Point

Saturday, March 30

Bethlehem, Pa.

12:00 PM

Lehigh University

16-8-1, 0

Army

12-13, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Army West Point	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	0
LEHIGH	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	3	0

Photo by: Maria Bouchard

Lehigh Splits Doubleheader With Game One Win Against Army West Point

3/30/2024 7:50:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Patriot League play continued on Saturday afternoon for Lehigh baseball, as the team welcomed the defending-champion Army Black Knights to Bethlehem for a doubleheader. The Mountain Hawks claimed a 2-1 victory in eight innings in game one and fell 5-0 to the Black Knights in game two.

"Leaman and Danchision were outstanding in game one," said head coach Sean Leary. "Perich once again came through with the clutch game-winning RBI."

Cole Leaman got the nod for Lehigh (16-9-1) in game one, striking out three while conceding only one run in 4.0 innings of work. Marcus Danchision entered in his relief in the fifth inning, impressing with three strikeouts, no runs and only one hit allowed in 4.0 innings himself. Matthew Ronnebaum was credited with the loss for Army (13-13) after allowing a walk-off run in the bottom of the eighth.

After Leaman opened the game with a 1-2-3 inning, the Mountain Hawks struck first in the bottom of the frame. Jake Whitlinger began the game with a lead-off triple, and Braydon Hubbard's groundout sent him home for the game's first run. The Black Knights responded in the top of the third with an RBI single from Chris Barr, tying the game 1-1 after three in a seven-inning first game.

Navy's starter Justin Lehman impressed the rest of the way, allowing only one hit over the next four innings. Leaman and Danchision combined to allow one hit between them in that same time span as well, which brought our game past the scheduled seventh inning with the score still knotted at one apiece.

The Black Knights threatened to begin extra innings, putting two runners on base with only one out on the board in the top of the eighth. Despite facing a jam, Danchision calmly struck out the next two batters in a row to give his team a chance to end the game. After Lehigh loaded the bases, Rafe Perich put the icing on the cake with a sac-fly to center field that scored Robbie Carvelli for the game-winning run.

Army's starter Steven Graver picked up the win in game two, striking out six batters while conceding no runs through 5.2 innings. Trey Ates entered in his relief in the bottom of the sixth, tossing 3.1 scoreless innings while striking out five to claim only the second save of the season for the Black Knights. Julio Ermigiotti was credited with the loss after allowing three earned runs to cross the plate.

The two teams combined for three hits through the first three innings of play, resulting in a deadlock at zero headed into the fourth. Army's Thomas Schreck got things started in the fourth inning with a double to left field that plated two runs. After Graver retired the side in the following half inning, the Black Knights added another in fifth off of an error to put them ahead 3-0 through five.

The sixth and seventh innings provided more insurance for the Black Knights as well. A throwing error after a Schreck single scored another Army run in the sixth while Chris Barr's leadoff homer in the seventh gave them their fifth run of the afternoon. The Mountain Hawks would get a runner on base in both the eighth and ninth, but Army held strong to secure a doubleheader split.

The series will be decided on Sunday, March 31 in game three against the Black Knights. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. from J. David Walker Field.

"Winning a series is important, and we have that opportunity tomorrow," said Leary. "We challenged our offense to have a stronger and more focused performance tomorrow and I'm confident they'll respond."

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