April 2, 2014

11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Lafayette 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 8 1 Penn 0 0 0 0 6 5 0 0 x 11 12 1 Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) 5

PHILADELPHIA - Penn rode a six-run fifth inning to a 11-5 victory over Lafayette in the Liberty Bell Classic on Wednesday afternoon at Meiklejohn Stadium.

Lafayette jumped on the Quakers early with a first-inning run against right-hander Jeff McGarry. A one-out double by Jackson Kramer and Parker Hills' infield single set the table for Tyler Hudson. The Leopards' third baseman drew a walk to load the bases before McGarry got the second out on a fielder's choice. With two away and Matt Lawrence at the dish, McGarry issued his second free pass of the inning and Hills scored. Penn limited the damage there as Austin Maggin flied out to right, leaving the bases loaded, to erase the threat.

In a scheduled staff day for both teams, Lafayette (7-12) starter David Bednar tossed a pair of scoreless innings and didn't surrender a base hit, while McGarry retired the side in order in his second and final frame.

Kramer's second knock of the game, a single to left off Mitchell Hammonds, was Lafayette's only hit in the third. Ari Kaufman sent the Quakers (11-10) down in order in the bottom half of the inning to keep Lafayette's 1-0 advantage.

Hammonds and Lafayette right-hander Trevor Houck faced the minimum in the fourth as the Leopards' rookie struck out McGarry and induced a pair of flyouts. In the fifth, Penn's Jeremy Witt fanned two in a 1-2-3 inning after Hammonds' afternoon was complete.

Penn took the lead in the home half of the fifth when Austin Bossart doubled off Houck to start the inning and Mitch Montaldo followed with a single to left. After a popup, Ryan Mincher delivered the big blow with a three-run shot inside the left field foul pole to put Penn ahead 3-1. The Quakers added to their lead with a single by Gary Tesch, which brought Ryan Callanan into the game, and then Connor Betbeze's RBI base hit after Tesch swiped second base. Leading 4-1 at that point, David Brebner launched a two-run homer to right-center as Penn batted around and racked up seven hits in the inning.

Penn added another run in the sixth off Connor McMahon, who finished the fifth, before Brebner belted his second home run of the game. The three-run shot came off freshman Adam Ashenfarb and Penn led 11-1 after six complete innings.

The Leopards brought four runs across in the eighth on a two-RBI single by Alex Woinski, a bases-loaded walk to Andrew Landolfi and Andrew Santomauro's infield single. Alex Farina kept Penn off the board over the final 2 1/3 innings, giving up two hits.

Lafayette resumes Patriot League play on Saturday with a four-game series against Army. First pitch of Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for noon.