April 9, 2007
Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Lafayette and Navy split Monday's doubleheader baseball action, as the Leopards claimed the series victory, 3-1. In the first game Dave Drechsel managed two extra-base hits and drove in a pair of runs to help propel Lafayette to a 6-3 win. In the nightcap, Lafayette's ninth-inning rally fell a run short, 4-3, as Navy handed Lafayette its first conference loss of the season.
Navy (23-12, 5-3) scored all three of its runs in the first three innings of game one. B.J. Bickel knocked in a pair in the second inning with a bases-loaded single off Lafayette starter Kevin Reese.
In the top of the next inning, Lafayette (16-11, 7-1) tied the game. Navy starter Oliver Drake walked Daniel Bierce and hit James Conrad with a pitch. Both later scored on a Jeff Butler groundout and Mike Raible's RBI-single to knot the game at 2-2.
Navy answered with a run in the bottom of the third inning on Michael Speciale's run-scoring double. That was all of the offense that Navy mustered, as Reese shut down the Mids' lineup for the final four innings of the seven-inning game.
Lafayette tied the game, 3-3, in the fifth. Drechsel (2-foe-3) led off with a triple and later scored on an error.
The Leopard offense broke the game open in the sixth inning with a three-spot on the scoreboard. With two outs in the inning, Brad Weiss singled home a run. Following a pitching change, Lafayette had runners on first and second. Drechsel came through again, this time with a bases-clearing double that handed Lafayette a 6-3 advantage it would not relinquish.
Reese (3-1) earned the victory, giving up three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. Drake (1-1) took the loss, surrendering six runs on four hits in 5.2 innings.
In the second game, Lafayette scored three runs in the final four innings, but could not come back from an early 3-0 deficit.
The Mids scored the bulk of their offense in the third inning, opening the frame with a triple (Bickel) and two RBI-singles. Thomas Hamilton doubled in another run to award Navy a 3-0 lead.
Lafayette cut into the lead with two runs in the sixth. Butler and Kevin Leasure each belted doubles in the inning with Leasure's two-bagger scoring Butler. Tom Ambrosole knocked in Leasure with a single to left to bring Lafayette with one run, 3-2.
Navy added a crucial insurance run in the bottom of the eighth off Lafayette reliever John Fugett. Speciale used a two-out single to score Michael Garcia who had led of the inning with a single. Navy led 4-2. The Maroon and White took one last shot at it in the top of the ninth. Weiss led off with a double. Two straight groundouts, the second one from Bierce, scored Weiss, but the 4-3 margin was as close as Lafayette would come.
Lafayette starter Jeremy Atkins (3-2) was the losing pitcher, giving up three runs on six hits with three strikeouts in six innings. Jason Morytko pitched a hitless seventh inning for the Leopards. Yale Eckert (3-1) garnered the win for Navy, throwing 5.1 innings while allowing two runs on six hits with four strikeouts. J.D. Melton threw the ninth inning to receive the save, his seventh of the season.
Lafayette will not have much time to recover, traveling to Philadelphia on Tuesday to face Lehigh in the Liberty Bell Classic championship game. First pitch at the Philadelphia Phillies' Citizens Bank Park is set for 8 p.m. The game can be seen live on the Lafayette Sports Network.
