April 15, 2000

Box Score

WORCESTER, Mass. - Mike Palos singled home the game-winning run in a crucial four-run fifth inning to help the Leopards notch a 10-6 victory and earn the split with Holy Cross in baseball doubleheader action on Saturday.

Following a 13-0 shutout in the first game, Lafayette wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in the nightcap. Vince D'Angelis (Montvale, N.J./St. Joseph Regional) led off the game with a double down the right field line. Tye Gonser (The Dalles, Ore./The Dalles) reached base when he was hit by a pitch, bringing Jon Kline (Hingham, Mass./Thayer Academy) to the plate. During his at-bat, D'Angelis was picked off at second. Kline picked up the Leopards later in the at-bat with a home run to center field, his first of the season.

Holy Cross answered with three runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. A two-RBI double by Jeff Miller and a one-RBI two-bagger by Matt McEvoy gave the Crusaders a 3-2 lead. Holy Cross added to its lead in the bottom of the second on a sac fly by Peter Summa and an RBI-triple from Jim Sweeney to give the Crusaders a 5-2 advantage.

The Leopards managed to get a run back in the third. Jason Moll (Montville, N.J./Newark Academy) led off the inning with a double and later advaned to third on a fly ball. Tye Gonser (The Dalles, Ore./The Dalles) singled him home to cut the lead to two (5-3).

Lafayette scored three runs in the fourth. A bases-loaded walk scored Palos, a sac fly by Moll plated Ian Burley (Nazereth, Pa./Notre Dame) and Nick Anderson (La Mesa, Calif./Grossmont) scored on a passed ball to help Lafayette take the 6-5 lead at the end of three and one half innings.

A four-run fifth inning put Lafayette out in front for good. After a leadoff walk by Kline, an error by the shortstop put runners at first and second with no outs. Palos singled to center to drive home Kline for the seventh and winning run. The Leopards added three more runs on an RBI-double by Moll and an RBI-single from Burley. The other run of the inning came plateward thanks to a sac fly from the bat of Brad Drake (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg). The Leopards led 10-5 going into the bottom of the fifth.

In that half inning, Holy Cross scored its final run of the contest following a triple by Miller and an RBI-double from McEvoy. The Leopards held Holy Cross scoreless for the remaining two innings to grab a 10-6 victory.

Lafayette starter Scott Dennis (Spencertown, N.Y./Chatham) got his first win of the season. Dennis (1-3) struck out five while scattering eight hits. Ryan Kenny (3-2) was the loser for Holy Cross, allowing seven runs and six hits in four innings.

Lafayette improves to 4-6 in Patriot League action and 9-19 overall, while Holy Cross falls to 6-3 in conference play and 11-15 overall. The same two teams will play another doubleheader tomorrow at noon.