April 22, 2009
Box Score
EASTON, Pa. - Four Rutgers home runs helped deal the Leopards a 14-7 loss on Wednesday afternoon at Kamine Stadium. Lafayette, which had two homers of its own, used seven pitchers in the loss and gave up 16 hits to the Scarlet Knights.
Daniel Bierce (2-for-5) and Matt Hall (1-for-2) both hit round-trippers for the Leopards and left fielder Brad Weiss had three hits (3-for-5) on the afternoon.
Rookie Ian Dickson, the sixth reliever used in the game, was only pitcher to have a scoreless outing as he pitched a perfect ninth inning.
The Scarlet Knights (16-22) got the scoring started early, scoring two runs in the opening inning off starter John Gentile. Jaren Matthews had the big blow, knocking a two-run home run to centerfield.
Lafayette (19-20) cut the lead to one when Alex Bechta had a RBI groundout to score Hall, who had reached on an inning-opening error.
Rutgers plated two more runs in the fourth on D.J. Anderson's two-run double to center field.
In the bottom of that inning, Lafayette made it a tie game on Hall's three-run shot to right center. The homer scored Justin Shepherd, who had singled, and Matt Fenster, who was hit by a pitch.
Rookie reliever Sean McGrath entered the game in the fifth and Rutgers greeted him with four runs, three of which came on a Dan Betteridge home run.
Both teams scored runs in the sixth, with the Leopards' coming on Bechta's single through the left side.
Rutgers put the game out of reach by scoring three runs in the seventh and two in the eighth. Luis Feliz hit the Scarlet Knights' fourth and final homer of the game with a two-run homer in the seventh.
Lafayette scored solo runs in its half of the seventh and eighth innings. Bierce's eighth-inning solo shot made it a 14-7 game which remained the final score as Dickson struck out the side in the ninth.
The Leopards host Army on Saturday and Sunday in the final Patriot League series of the regular season. Doubleheaders are scheduled for both days beginning at 12 p.m.
Postgame Notes:
- Six of the seven Lafayette pitchers used in the game were rookies.
- Daniel Bierce and Matt Hall have both reached career-highs in homers. Bierce has four while Hall has a team-leading five.
