May 1, 2005
Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth of game one and four runs in the bottom of the eighth of game two to secure a pair of Patriot League baseball victories over Lehigh on Sunday at the Class of 1978 Stadium. Adam Bucci's two-run home run proved to be the winning blow in the 7-6 opener and Frank Cortazar's two-run double accomplished the same in the eighth inning of the second game, leading to a 6-2 victory in the nightcap.
The first game was shaping up to be a pitcher's duel with Lafayette's top starter Matt Revelle on the mound, countered by Lehigh's No. 1 Jack Muscalus. That held true through the fourth inning before the team's offenses combined for 10 runs.
Lafayette (17-24, 5-9) led 1-0 after the first inning. James Conrad (3-for-3, 2 RBI) who scored twice in the opener, led off with a single, moved to second on a Rob Fioretti sacrifice bunt, and later scored when Bucci drove him in with a base knock to rightfield.
The Leopards held the lead until the top of the third when Lehigh slid ahead 2-1. Lehigh struck for a pair of runs on Joseph Ercolano's one-out solo home run and Andrew Smith's RBI-single.
The tone of the game changed drastically in the fifth inning, as both starting pitchers were touched up. Lehigh (24-18-1, 11-7) got to Revelle for four runs. Doane and Smith each singled in a run and Mike Sandonato plated two more on his own run-scoring single to give Lehigh a 6-1 lead.
The Leopards answered in a big way in the bottom of the sixth. Cortazar led off with a solo home run to right. Nick Tucker doubled and was later joined on the bases by Tyler Zeronda (walk). The rally really gained momentum, when the next batter, Conrad slapped a triple to the gap in rightcenter. Then, with Ian Law at the plate, Conrad stole home for the second time this season and cut the Lehigh lead to 6-5. Law doubled, and Muscalus faced Bucci who represented the go-ahead run. With first base open, Muscalus delivered a 3-1 offering to Bucci who smashed a ball over the fence in rightcenter to hand the Leopards the 7-6 lead.
John Fugett came out of the bullpen to replace Revelle to start the top of the sixth. Fugett retired the Mountain Hawks in order in the sixth and struck out the side in the seventh to notch his third save of the season. Revelle (5-4) picked up the win, giving up six runs on five hits over five innings. Muscalus (5-2) was tagged with just his second loss of the season, surrendering all seven of Lafayette's runs on eight hits over 4.2 innings.
In game two, Lafayette got a strong start from Matt Kamine who tossed eight complete innings and allowed just two runs in a 6-2 victory.
As it had in the first game, Lafayette was able to score in the home half of the first. Law (double) and Kevin Leasure (single) each knocked in runs to give Lafayette the early advantage.
As Kamine rolled along in the nine-inning game, the Lafayette defense showed that it had come ready to play. Tucker, playing in rightfield for the injured Mike Raible, made a run-saving grab in the top of the fifth inning. With a runner aboard and DH Jeff Benfield at the plate, Benfield lifted a ball deep to right. Tucker climbed the fence and snatched the ball back over the fence to keep two runs from scoring.
Kamine remained unscathed until the eighth inning. With runners on second and third and one out, Liam O'Connor slapped a single to center to tie the game. Kamine received a fly out and then picked off O'Connor to end the inning with the game tied.
With Kamine still the pitcher of record, Lafayette set out in search of some offense in the bottom of the eighth. They found it with some small ball - sort of. Law's lead-off single prompted Lehigh head coach Sean Leary to pull starter Joe Matteo in favor of Andrew Grim. Bucci attempted to bunt Law to second, but fouled off two attempts. With the count 0-2, Bucci roped a single to center that put runners on first and second. Cortazar stepped in and twice attempted to move up the runners with a bunt, but he too fouled off two pitches.
On the next play, Grim started to throw over to first to check the runners, but realized no one was covering and was forced to hold the ball and take the balk, moving Bucci and Law to second and third. The balk led to a second pitching change and Matt Mezzancello came into the game for his second appearance of the day. Cortazar ripped his 0-2 pitch over the centerfielder's head to score two runs. A walk and a Tucker single loaded the bases. Dave Drechsel knocked in a run and moved another runner to third with a sac fly. Then, head coach Joe Kinney put on the squeeze play, and Zeronda executed it perfectly, allowing Leasure to score while giving the Leopards a 6-2 advantage going into the ninth.
Kinney again called on Fugett, this time not in a save situation. He retired Lehigh in order to close out the 6-2 win. Kamine (2-4) earned his second win of the season, striking out four over eight innings while allowing two runs on six hits. Matteo took the loss, giving up three runs on seven hits.
The two teams will have at it again tomorrow to finish up the series. First pitch at the Class of 1978 Stadium is slated for 1 p.m.
