March 18, 2011
Box Score
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Junior right-hander John Gentile pitched an outstanding six innings for the Lafayette baseball team on Friday afternoon at Cal State Bakersfield. However, the Roadrunners' Jonathan Montoya was equally as impressive on the hill as the home team eked out a 2-1 victory.
The slim defeat drops the Leopards to 4-10 on the season. Bakersfield, which had been nationally ranked by the Collegiate Baseball newspaper earlier this season, improves to 15-5.
Gentile (0-3) scattered six hits over six innings of work, allowing two runs (one earned) for Lafayette. He struck out three batters and walked two in the 99-pitch effort. He was relieved by junior southpaw Sean McGrath and junior right-hander Jeff Snell, who both posted zeroes out of the Leopards' bullpen.
Montoya (3-1) worked 8.2 innings for Bakersfield, allowing five hits and one earned run. He tallied five strikeouts, issued three walks and hit a batter. Martin Montoya got the final out to earn his fifth save of the season.
The Leopards got on the board first, as senior right fielder Alex Bechta drew a one-out walk in the top of the first inning and came all the way around to score on a double down the left field line by senior catcher A.J. Miller.
The 1-0 lead for the Maroon and White held until the bottom of the fifth frame. Back-to-back singles led off the inning for the Roadrunners, and the pair moved 90 feet on a balk. Gentile would not allow another hit in the inning, but a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ryan McIntyre brought home the tying run.
The Roadrunners broke the 1-1 deadlock in the bottom of the seventh inning on a McIntyre double. Despite falling behind 2-1, the Leopards hung tough as Snell came out of the bullpen with one out and the bases loaded and induced a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.
Lafayette would not get on the board again, however, Montoya stranded runners on the corners to close the door on a 2-1 victory for Bakersfield.
Miller went 2-for-3 for Lafayette. He was the only Leopard to have a multiple-hit day, and his RBI double was the lone extra-base hit for the Maroon and White.
The Leopards and Roadrunners close out their four-game series tomorrow afternoon from Hardt Field at 4 p.m. ET. After a Wednesday showdown at Wagner, Lafayette will play its first home games of the 2011 season on Saturday, March 26 in the noon doubleheader against Penn.
