Friday, February 28
Bethlehem, Pa.
2:00 PM
Lehigh University
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LIU
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Lehigh
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Photo by: Lucas Morrell
Mountain Hawks Defeat LIU 8-2 In Home Opener
2/28/2025 6:26:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – After an almost two-week hiatus, Lehigh baseball returned to action on Friday afternoon to host the LIU Sharks for the team's home opener. The Mountain Hawks cruised to an 8-2 victory over the Sharks to claim their first win of the 2025 campaign.
"I was really pleased with how well we played and how focused we were coming off that extended layoff," said head coach Sean Leary following the win.
Senior Marcus Danchision earned the start and the win for Lehigh (1-3), striking out four while allowing three hits and only one run in 5.1 innings of work. The loss was credited to LIU (3-7) starter Garrett Yawn after he allowed eight runs on six hits in 5.0 innings pitched. Sophomore Julio Ermigiotti picked up his first save of the season after striking out five batters in 3.2 innings.
"On the mound, Danch set the tone and Erm continued to pound the zone in relief," said Leary.
Lehigh and LIU traded 1-2-3 innings to begin the game in the first inning. The Sharks then struck first in the top of the second when catcher Jack Power homered to right field to put LIU ahead 1-0. The Sharks retired the Mountain Hawks in order the next two innings and took their lead into the fourth.
Senior Jake Whitlinger singled to begin the bottom of the fourth and proceeded to steal second base. Junior Dom Patrizi was then hit by a pitch, setting up junior Aidan Quinn to single Whitlinger home. Senior Justin Butler then singled to right center, scoring Patrizi and Quinn to take a 3-1 Lehigh lead.
After holding the Sharks scoreless in the top of the fifth, the Mountain Hawks added another run in the bottom of the frame. Patrizi doubled down the right field line to score junior Owen Walewander, extending the lead to four. Ermigiotti entered the game for Danchision in the top of the sixth inning and shut the lid on the Sharks despite facing a bases loaded situation.
Lehigh put up four additional runs in the bottom of the sixth. Walewander collected his second hit of the day on a single that scored both Butler and senior Andrew Kohl. Whitlinger then singled and was out on his advance to second, but the senior sent Walewander and Rogers past home plate in the process to extend Lehigh's lead to seven. While the Sharks would get a run back in the bottom of the ninth, the damage had already been done, and the Mountain Hawks earned their first victory of the season.
Whitlinger, Quinn and Walewander each recorded two hits and registered five RBIs between the three of them. Butler tallied two RBIs off of his single in the fourth while Patrizi also recorded a hit and RBI for the Mountain Hawks.
"Our offense did an outstanding job executing small ball," said Leary. "That was our focus all week at practice and it was great to see the kids carry that into the opener of the series. Butler, Whit and Wales all had clutch two RBI hits."
The Mountain Hawks return to J. David Walker Field tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. for a doubleheader with LIU to conclude the weekend series.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
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"I was really pleased with how well we played and how focused we were coming off that extended layoff," said head coach Sean Leary following the win.
Senior Marcus Danchision earned the start and the win for Lehigh (1-3), striking out four while allowing three hits and only one run in 5.1 innings of work. The loss was credited to LIU (3-7) starter Garrett Yawn after he allowed eight runs on six hits in 5.0 innings pitched. Sophomore Julio Ermigiotti picked up his first save of the season after striking out five batters in 3.2 innings.
"On the mound, Danch set the tone and Erm continued to pound the zone in relief," said Leary.
Lehigh and LIU traded 1-2-3 innings to begin the game in the first inning. The Sharks then struck first in the top of the second when catcher Jack Power homered to right field to put LIU ahead 1-0. The Sharks retired the Mountain Hawks in order the next two innings and took their lead into the fourth.
Senior Jake Whitlinger singled to begin the bottom of the fourth and proceeded to steal second base. Junior Dom Patrizi was then hit by a pitch, setting up junior Aidan Quinn to single Whitlinger home. Senior Justin Butler then singled to right center, scoring Patrizi and Quinn to take a 3-1 Lehigh lead.
After holding the Sharks scoreless in the top of the fifth, the Mountain Hawks added another run in the bottom of the frame. Patrizi doubled down the right field line to score junior Owen Walewander, extending the lead to four. Ermigiotti entered the game for Danchision in the top of the sixth inning and shut the lid on the Sharks despite facing a bases loaded situation.
Lehigh put up four additional runs in the bottom of the sixth. Walewander collected his second hit of the day on a single that scored both Butler and senior Andrew Kohl. Whitlinger then singled and was out on his advance to second, but the senior sent Walewander and Rogers past home plate in the process to extend Lehigh's lead to seven. While the Sharks would get a run back in the bottom of the ninth, the damage had already been done, and the Mountain Hawks earned their first victory of the season.
Whitlinger, Quinn and Walewander each recorded two hits and registered five RBIs between the three of them. Butler tallied two RBIs off of his single in the fourth while Patrizi also recorded a hit and RBI for the Mountain Hawks.
"Our offense did an outstanding job executing small ball," said Leary. "That was our focus all week at practice and it was great to see the kids carry that into the opener of the series. Butler, Whit and Wales all had clutch two RBI hits."
The Mountain Hawks return to J. David Walker Field tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. for a doubleheader with LIU to conclude the weekend series.
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: Danchision, Marcus (1-1)
L: G. Yawn (0-2)
S: Ermigiotti, Julio (1)
Batting:
HR: J. Power 1 ; J. Durso 1
RBI: J. Power 1 ; J. Durso 1
Base Running:
RUNS: J. Power 1 ; J. Durso 1
Batting:
2B: Patrizi, Dom 1
RBI: Whitlinger, Jake 2 ; Patrizi, Dom 1 ; Quinn, Aidan 1 ; Butler, Justin 2 ; Walewander, Owen 2
SH: Cochran, Ryan 1 ; Davis, Ryan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Whitlinger, Jake 1 ; Patrizi, Dom 1 ; Quinn, Aidan 1 ; Kohl, Andrew 1 ; Butler, Justin 1 ; Rogers, Raffaele 1 ; Walewander, Owen 2
SB: Whitlinger, Jake 1
HBP: Patrizi, Dom 1 ; Cochran, Ryan 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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