Box Score

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. - The Lafayette baseball team dropped its season opener on Friday afternoon, managing just two hits in a 4-1 loss to UMBC at the Charleston Baseball Academy's Dennis Park.

Lafayette starting pitcher David Bednar kept the game within reach, allowing just three hits over the first five innings, but the Retrievers broke a 1-1 tie in the decisive sixth frame with two runs to earn the win in what was also their first game of the year.

The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth, when UMBC's Anthony Gatto hit a solo home run off of Bednar.

The Leopards answered back in the bottom of the fifth. Senior catcher Parker Hills doubled to left field before advancing to third on a wild pitch by UMBC starter Kevin Little, who promptly walked the next two Lafayette batters to load the bases. Jonny Dierks replaced Little on the mound and induced consecutive groundball outs to end the threat, but Hills managed to score on freshman Drew Aherne's fielder's choice to knot the game at 1-1.

UMBC didn't wait long to reclaim the lead, scoring twice in the sixth inning. Andrew Casali and Hunter Dolshun hit back-to-back doubles to account for the first run, chasing Bednar from the game. Lafayette reliever Alex Farina entered and retired his first batter, but a Nick Naumann single brought home Dolshun to give the Retrievers a 3-1 advantage.

Naumann later scored on a Kevin Lachance double in the ninth to set the final score.

Bednar was tagged with the loss. He struck out two while allowing three runs on five hits and two walks in his 5.1 innings of work. Dierks got win for UMBC after 2.2 scoreless innings of relief, while Denis Mikush earned a two-inning save.

Senior Tim Lazor tallied the Leopards' only other hit in the game, a single in the second inning.

Lafayette will get the chance for revenge on Saturday when they face UMBC again at 11 a.m. The Leopards will also face off against Richmond at 3 p.m.