April 24, 2006
Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Kevin Reese threw his second shutout of the season and Ian Law went 3-for-5 with three RBI as Lafayette captured the series finale with Lehigh, 11-0, in Patriot League baseball action. The win was part of a Monday split, as Lehigh scored two runs in the sixth inning of game one to record a 3-1 win.
In the series finale, Lafayette (18-21, 8-8) scored a run in the first, when Law led off the game with a double and later trotted home on an error by the rightfielder. One run was all Reese needed on the afternoon, but his teammates gave him plenty of additional support. Reese (3-1) faced just 30 batters (three more than the minimum) in the nine-inning game. He did not allow a Mountain Hawk runner to advance past first base after giving up a second-inning double. Reese struck out four and walked just one batter while scattering four hits.
Lafayette blew the game wide open with four runs in the top of the fifth. With Dave Drechsel aboard following a Lehigh (22-23, 11-5) error, Dustin Minore singled to center to put runners on first and third with one out. A failed pick off attempt at first and resulting error on Lehigh starter Billy Alec gave Lafayette the 2-0 lead. Lafayette put three more runs on the board on a Law RBI-single, a Kevin Leasure sac fly and Joe Ezekiel's double that he pulled inside the leftfield line.
The Leopards ran their lead to a comfortable 7-0 margin with a two-run single from Law in the sixth and then added three more in the seventh. Drechsel doubled home a pair and Minore knocked him in to hand Lafayette the 10-0 lead. Lafayette finished off its day with a final run in the eighth on Leasure's RBI-single.
Alec was saddled with the loss, giving up five runs (one earned) on three hits in 4.1 innings. Lehigh's defense did not help out its pitching staff, committing four errors while giving up five unearned runs.
As game one started, the Leopards looked to be on track offensively as they opened with a run. Law (2-for-3) reached on an infield single and Ryan Roberts, who has been seeing more playing time with the injuries to fellow outfielders James Conrad and Mike Raible, moved Law into scoring position with a sac bunt. Leasure (2-for-3) plated Law to give the Leopards the early lead.
Lehigh tied the game in the third inning. Jeff Benfield led off with a single. Lehigh followed Lafayette's lead and played small ball with a sac bunt. A pop up left Lehigh with two outs in the inning, but Joe Ercolano singled to center to bring in Benfield.
Lafayette starter Ted Gjeldum made it through the fourth and fifth innings without incident, but ran into some trouble in the sixth. With one out in the inning, Gjeldum had Matt Geiger 1-2. Gjeldum made a solid pitch, but Geiger fisted a ball for an infield hit. Gjeldum walked the next batter and Andrew Smith doubled to the leftfield wall to score Geiger. Steve Roberts came on to replace Gjeldum. Nick Bet used a sac fly to give Lehigh the 3-1 advantage.
Lafayette put Leasure (single) on base in the top of the seventh of the seven-inning game, but Lehigh starter Joe Matteo retired the final two batters of the inning to end the suspense. Matteo gave up one run on six hits to improve to 5-3. Gjeldum, who allowed three runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings, took the loss to move to 3-4.
Lafayette returns to action on Wednesday when it travels to Rutgers for a 3:30 p.m. first pitch.
