April 26, 2008
Box Score
WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Lafayette offense struggled against the Army pitching staff, recording just four hits and one run in two games against the Black Knights in a Patriot League baseball doubleheader. The Leopards dropped 4-1 and 7-0 decisions in Saturday's twinbill.
Despite the losses, Lafayette has not been eliminated from the Patriot League Tournament contention. Tournament bids and seedings will be finalized tomorrow when the league season comes to an end. The Leopards and Black Knights will play another doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
Senior Kevin Reese started the first game and went the distance for the second-straight Saturday. He gave up all four Army runs and fell to 3-5 on the season but he walked only one batter while striking out three. Senior Tom Ambrosole and junior Daniel Bierce recorded the only hits for the Leopards.
Lafayette (19-20, 7-11) scored its first and only run of the afternoon in the first inning of Saturday's opening game. Ambrosole's RBI single to shortstop scored Bierce, who had reached base on a single. Reese kept the Black Knights without a run for four innings but his Army counterpart, Drew Clothier, also held the Leopards in check as the two first-inning singles were the only hits Lafayette had in the game.
Army (20-20, 12-6) took the lead with two runs in the fifth. Reese retired the first two batters before Kyle Stramara singled to right center. Tony Capozzi singled to put the tying run on third base and a two-RBI single off the bat of Clint Moore gave the Black Knights a 2-1 lead.
Army added two insurance runs in the sixth inning. Cole White led off with a double to right center and Kevin McKague hit a bunt single to put runners on the corners. Reese walked J.P Polchinski and a wild pitch scored White to tie the game. Chris Simmons hit a sac fly to centerfield to make the score 4-1. Clothier retired the Leopards in order in the top of the seventh to secure the win for Army.
Lafayette threatened to take an early lead in the second game, as well, as Army pitcher Ben Koenigsfeld walked Rob Froio and Chris Luick but Ambrosole ground into a double play to end the scoring opportunity.
Sophomore Jeremy Atkins was on the mound for the Leopards and held Army without a run until the third inning. Bierce mishandled a ball hit by Stramara and Atkins' committed the team's second error on a sacrifice bunt from Capozzi that allowed Stramara to score the game's first run.
The Black Knights tacked on another run in the fourth. Polchinski singled up the middle to lead off the inning and reached third on a wild pitch and another Lafayette error. Simmons flied out to right field, allowing Polchinski to score and make it a 2-0 game. Atkins got Mike Greco to fly out for the second out and struck out Stramara to end the inning.
Atkins surrendered a leadoff home run to Capozzi in the fifth and Moore followed with a single. Moore advanced to third came around to score the second run of the inning when White ground into a double play to make it a 5-1 game.
A.J. Miller had the Leopards' first hit of the game with a one-out single in the seventh but Jeff Butler ground into a double play to end the inning.
Senior Brad Woodfield came on in relief in the sixth inning. In the seventh, the senior gave up a one-out single and a walk before freshman Joseph Verdon entered the game in relief. McKague knocked a two-RBI single up the middle off Verdon for a 7-1 Army lead.
The Leopards were retired in order in the eighth by Koenigsfeld. Pinch hitter A.J. Pisarri had a two-out single off Koenigsfeld in the ninth but Luick flied out to left field to end game.
The Leopards and Black Knights wrap-up their series with a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m.
Postgame Notes:
- Kevin Reese has pitched 216.2 career innings, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on Lafayette's all-time list.
- Senior first baseman Tom Hayes had appeared in 158, tying him with Kevin McKernan '98 for fifth all-time.
- The all-time series stands at 54-51-2 in favor of Army.
