April 24, 2000

Box Score

WEST POINT, N.Y. - WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Sophomore Jason Moll (Montville, N.J./Newark Academy) blasted the go-ahead home run as part of a two-run eighth to give Lafayette a 5-4 win over Army and a split for the day on Monday.

Vince D'Angelis (Montvale, N.J./St. Joseph Regional) led off the game with a home run to right field to give Lafayette a 1-0 lead after one inning.

The lead didn't last for long, however, as Army scored a run in each of the second and third innings. In the second, Buddy Gengler led off with an infield single and later scored the Cadets' first run of the game on a fielder's choice.

Lafayette managed to retake the lead in the third inning, when an Ian Burley (Nazareth, Pa./Notre Dame) single drove in Bob Osipower (Quakertown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) who had earlier connected for a one-out single.

Army tied the game again in the third inning, as Shaun Salmon doubled home Miguel Gastellum to knot the score at 2-2. The Cadets took their first lead of the game in the fifth inning thanks to a lead off home run from Brandon Boyce that gave Army a 3-2 advantage.

Lafayette didn't waste time tying the game up in the visitor portion of the sixth. Moll connected for a double to right center. He scored two batters later when Tye Gonser (The Dalles, Ore./The Dalles) singled to left.

The game remained tied at 3-3 at the end of seven, forcing the game to extra innings. In the Lafayette eighth, Moll homered to left to account for the go-ahead run. Gonser scored Lafayette's fifth run on a throwing error by the first baseman to give the Leopards a 5-3 lead at the end of 7 1/2 innings.

Lafayette head coach Joe Kinney showed faith in his freshman starting pitcher Joe Saporetti (Woodbury Heights, N.J./Gateway Regional) as the game entered the btoom of the eighth. Saporetti allowed one run in the frame, a two-out infield single that scored Josh Rizzo. The game ended when Saporetti enticed Kyle Kalkwarf into a fly out.

Saporetti (2-3) allowed four runs (three earned) while striking out four and scattering eight hits. Army starter Matt Cini (3-3) went 7 1/3 innings with four runs, three strikeouts, and 11 hits in the loss.

Lafayette improves to 10-23 overall and 5-9 in Patriot League action, while Army moves to 17-15-1, 7-6.

Lafayette returns to action on Wednesday, when it travels to Monmouth.