Feb. 24, 2012
Box Score
LEXINGTON, Va. - The Lafayette baseball team dropped its season opener at the Virginia Military Institute on Friday afternoon, 8-0. Junior second baseman Kevin Casey pounded two of the Leopards' four hits.
With the loss, Lafayette starts the season at 0-1. The Keydets, who opened the season at two-time defending national champion No. 2 South Carolina, improve to 1-3.
Casey's 2-for-4 day led the Leopards at the plate. Freshman designated hitter Zach Gross singled in his first collegiate at-bat, and junior right fielder Andrew Ruck doubled to record Lafayette's only extra-base hit.
Senior right-hander John Gentile started on the hill and took the loss for Lafayette. He worked five innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits and one walk. Gentile struck out two batters and hit three. Freshman right-hander Alex Farina worked 1.2 innings in his collegiate debut, and senior righty Chris Boyce closed out the game with 1.1 scoreless frames.
Right-hander Coby Cowgill (1-0) tossed the first seven innings to earn the win. The Keydets' ace, who traded zeroes with All-American Michael Roth in his season debut last weekend, scattered three singles and one walk while striking out six.
VMI leadoff batter Jordan Tarsovich went 3-for-4 with an RBI, and first baseman George Piccirilli drove in two runs.
Today's game, which was slated for a 3 p.m. start, was delayed 1:46 due to the rain and began at 4:46 p.m. The Leopards continue their series at VMI tomorrow with another nine-inning contest scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Senior right-hander Ethan Perro will get the ball for Lafayette against the Keydets' sophomore southpaw Campbell Henkel.
