March 31, 2007
Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette took both games of a doubleheader vs. Army to open Patriot League play on Saturday at the Class of 1978 Stadium. In the opener, Lafayette trailed for the first five and a half innings, but scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to claim a 3-2 victory. In the second half of the twinbill, Matt Kamine tossed his fourth complete game of the season to propel Lafayette to a 5-2 triumph.
The series pitted the teams picked to finish first (Army) and second (Lafayette) in the Patriot League Preseason Poll.
The opener was a pitchers' duel throughout with Army's Nick Hill facing Lafayette senior Ted Gjeldum. Army (8-11-1, 0-2) gave its ace a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Barnes Connell led off the game with a double. A Milan Dinga ground out moved Connell to third before he scored on Chris Simmons's fielder's choice.
Lafayette (10-10, 2-0) never really threatened Hill until the fourth inning when Lafayette put runners on first and second with one out. Hill ended that scoring chance by striking out the final two Leopard batters of the inning.
Lafayette finally broke through against the future Major League draft pick in the bottom of the sixth inning of the seven-inning game. The Leopards sent the top of the batting order to the plate and James Conrad and Jeff Butler each singled through the right side. The next batter, Tom Hayes, sacrificed them into scoring position. Tom Ambrosole hit a ground ball to the shortstop who attempted to get Butler at third. Conrad scored easily on the play, and the tardy throw to third left Lafayette with runners on the corners and one out.
Another fielder's choice, this one to the first baseman, gave Lafayette the go-ahead run when Butler scored from third after beating the throw at the plate. A.J. Pisarri, who pinch ran for Ambrosole, scored on a Dan Bierce sac fly to give Lafayette the 3-1 lead. That run proved crucial as the game moved to the final inning.
Gjeldum went to the mound in the seventh, searching for his second complete game of the season. Army, however, did not oblige. A one-out single and a walk put runners on first and second. J.P. Polchinski moved a runner to third with a fly ball. The next batter, Caleb Love, singled home Army's second run of the game. Head coach Joe Kinney called on John Fugett out of the bullpen. Fugett walked his first batter to load the bases, but enticed Connell into a groundout to end the game.
Gjeldum (1-1) threw 6.2 innings in the victory, surrendering two runs on three hits with one strikeout and four walks. Fugett collected his first save of the season. Hill (2-3) was tagged with the loss, giving up three runs on three hits with six strikeouts.
The nightcap was more solid pitching, especially on the Lafayette side as Kamine went the distance in a 5-2 win. This time Lafayette got on the scoreboard early, taking a 1-0 lead in the second. Matt Hall and Dave Drechsel belted singles to open the game. Lafayette played small ball and moved them to second and third with Chris Luick's bunt. Bierce came to the plate and drove in Hall with a sac fly.
In the sixth, Lafayette used just one swing of the bat to pad its lead to 2-0, as Drechsel blasted his second home run of the season.
In the top of the next inning, Kamine ran into his only trouble of the afternoon. Army put runners on first and third with no outs. Kamine threw over to first to try and pick off a runner, but his throw sailed high and allowed a run to score and the other Army runner to advance to third. Kamine struck out the next batter for the second out of the inning. The rally continued when Tom Capozzi hit a ball to the outfield that was dropped and allowed the Black Knights to tie the game, 2-2. Lafayette, which leads the Patriot League in fielding percentage, made three errors in the inning.
The tie did not last for long, as Lafayette broke out for three runs in the bottom of the seventh. A one-out walk and single knocked Army starter Ben Mayhew from the game. Drew Clothier faced Kevin Leasure who promptly singled to center to score Butler (walk) for the go-ahead run. Lafayette added two insurance runs when Army made a pair of errors. With runners on second and third, pinch hitter Justin Shepherd came up. He ripped ball to second which went through the legs of the fielder and allowed two runs to score.
In the eighth, Kamine (3-3) got three outs in the air, and in the ninth, he pitched three ground ball outs to end the game. Kamine surrendered two runs (none earned) on five hits and struck out five while walking one. Mayhew took the loss, giving up three runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings. He fanned seven and walked two.
Lafayette and Army will finish off the first of five straight conference weekends with a doubleheader on Sunday. First pitch at Hilton Rahn Field at the Class of 1978 Stadium is scheduled for noon.
