April 25, 2009

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

EASTON, Pa. - The Lafayette baseball team rebounded from a 12-2 loss in the opening game against Army to take the second game, 14-8, and remain in the hunt for a spot in the Patriot League Tournament. A sweep on Sunday guarantees the Leopards a tournament berth.

Eleven league wins guarantees a spot in the tournament, meaning should Lafayette sweep on Sunday, they would clinch a spot. If the Leopards and Black Knights split, Lafayette would then need a combination of wins and losses by the other league teams to advance to the tournament.

In the game two win, Lafayette (20-21, 9-9) belted 15 hits off the Army pitchers after managing only seven hits in the series opener. Six Leopards had multi-hit performances and A.J. Pisarri and Justin Shepherd both drove in three runs.

After dropping the opening contest, the second game seemed like it would also go the Black Knights' way as they scored three runs off starter Corey Shea before Lafayette even came to bat. Ben Koenigsfeld had the big hit with a RBI double to left center that scored two runs.

Army (22-17, 11-7) added another run in the second but the Leopards countered with a run of their own that inning on Matt Hall's solo shot to right center.

That seemed to spark the offense as Lafayette scored four runs in both the third and fourth innings. In the third, A.J. Miller drove home one run with a double and Hall followed with another RBI single. The Leopards then loaded the bases and Pisarri was hit by a pitch to score another run and make it 5-4 in favor of Lafayette.

In the fourth, a wild pitch made it 6-4 and Brad Weiss and Alex Bechta drove home the final three runs for a 9-4 lead.

Kyle McKague's solo shot in the fifth cut the lead to four (9-5) but Lafayette put up a five-spot in the sixth to put the game out of reach. The Leopards scored the five runs on three hits, including Pisarri's two-RBI double down the right field line. Daniel Bierce followed with a RBI double in the same spot to also send home two runners.

Rookie relievers John Gentile and Jeff Snell combined to pitch the final 3.1 innings. Gentile gave up two runs in the eighth on a home run and a RBI single. Koenigsfeld added a one-out, solo shot in the ninth off Gentile but the freshman rebounded and got the final two outs to clinch the much-needed win.

Game one went Army's way in the form a 12-2 win. Starter Matt Fouch shutout the Leopards for the first six innings while Lafayette starter Zach Fritz was charged with six runs in his 6.1 innings of work.

Heading into the seventh inning, the game remained within reach for the Leopards as the score was only 3-0 in favor of Army. In the seventh, however, the Black Knights bats came to life, scoring nine runs on eight hits off four Lafayette pitchers.

With no outs, Joey Henshaw rocketed a three-run homer to right field to start the scoring. Kyle Fleming added another three-run home run to right center and a Lafayette error led to the final two runs of the inning to make it 12-0.

The Leopards refused to be shutout, though, and Weiss led off the seventh with a solo home run to right field, the first round-tripper of his career. Pinch-hitter Hugh Harris followed with another homer, also the first of his career. Unfortunately Lafayette was then retired in order to end the game.

The Leopards and Black Knights conclude the league portion of their regular seasons tomorrow with another doubleheader at 12 p.m. Prior to the start of the first game, Lafayette will honor the six members of its senior class.

Postgame Notes:
- Senior Daniel Bierce had a double in the second game, bringing his season total to 16, tied for the first all-time in Lafayette single season history. That double also gives him 31 for his career, tied for 10th all-time.
- Bierce also has 20 stolen bases this season, tied for seventh all-time in single season history.
- Senior Jeff Butler has now played in 160 career games, tied for seventh all-time.
- Teams have now combined to hit 15 home runs at Kamine Stadium in the last three games. Lafayette has hit five of those.