Feb. 23, 2013
| | | Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | | Vander Linden - W | 5.0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | | Schwartz - L | 5.0 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 5 | | Davis - S | 4.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| | | | Player | AB | R
| H | RBI | BB | HR | | Venditti | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | | Hopek | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
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DAVIDSON, N.C. - Lafayette opened its 2013 season with an 8-3 loss to Georgetown on Saturday afternoon at Davidson's Wilson Field. The Hoyas (1-2) took an early 4-0 lead and tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the seventh to secure the victory.
The three-run seventh came on one swing by Christian Venditti, who sent Derek Gussaroff's two-out pitch over the center field fence. Venditti went 2-for-5 for the Hoyas, who had nine hits on the afternoon. Kevin Casey, Scott Kelleher, Brad Hopek and Andrew Landolfi each registered one of Lafayette's four hits in the loss.
Toby Schwartz was saddled with the loss for the Leopards (0-1), tossing five frames, giving up four runs, one earned, and struck out five. Following two scoreless innings to open the game, Georgetown scratched out one run in the third and plated three unearned runs in the top of the fifth.
Georgetown's Jack Vander Linden cruised through the first four innings, facing the minimum 12 hitters, before Lafayette's two-run fifth. The righty got Andrew Ruck to pop out to first to make his 13th consecutive out, before Kelleher doubled to give Lafayette its first baserunner. Three batters later after free passes to Brett Thompson and Parker Hills, the bases were loaded for Landolfi. Georgetown's third basemen Ryan Busch made a fielding error, allowing Kelleher to score and keep the inning alive. Leadoff man Andrew Santomauro worked a walk to bring home Thompson, before Vander Linden punched out Tyler Hudson to end the threat.
Trailing 4-2 to start the sixth inning, Derek Gussaroff came on for Schwartz and was greeted by back-to-back singles by Venditti and Danny Poplawski. An error by Kelleher at third extended Georgetown's lead to 5-2 and runners remained on first and second with nobody out. Gussaroff settled down to escape the jam, getting Paul Bello to pop up to second and Curtiss Pomeroy to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.
In relief of Vander Linden, who gave up two runs, none earned, one hit and struck out five in a winning effort, Georgetown sent Tim Davis to the bump. Casey's leadoff double put the Leopards in scoring position, prior to Davis retiring the next two Lafayette batters. With Casey at second, Hopek doubled to left field to pull the Leopards within two at the end of six.
Davis allowed just two Lafayette baserunners in the final three innings to complete his four innings of work and earn the save. The right-hander surrendered three hits and one run, while striking out four and walking one. Ari Kaufman pitched the final two innings for Lafayette, giving up one hit and striking out one.
Lafayette plays game two on Saturday evening against Davidson at Wilson Field.
