WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Lafayette College baseball team dropped both its games on Saturday, falling 13-3 to VCU and 6-4 to Rider.
 
The Leopards were led in their first game against the Ram's by freshman Ben Petrone who went 1 for 2 with one run and freshman Michael Zarrillo who went 1 for 3 with one run.
 
Starting pitcher junior Nolan Morr went five innings and struck out a career-high 10 batters.
 
In the Leopards game against Rider freshman Carter Dorighi led the way going 3 for 4 with an RBI. Zarrillo and junior Pete Ciuffreda also recorded an RBI.
 
Starting pitcher junior Kyle Subers went five innings, recording four strikeouts.
 
VCU (1-1, 0-0 A10) started off the game with a double to left field and then exploded for seven runs to take an early 7-0 lead by the end of the first inning.
 
Lafayette (0-3, 0-0 PL) was unable to bring any runs across the plate until the bottom of the third after a two out single by Petrone put a runner on first for the Leopards. Sophomore Pete Ciuffreda than singled sending Petrone to second. Petrone came across home plate for the Leopards first run of the game after advancing to third and then home, on an error by the Ram's shortstop.
 
VCU added two runs in the top of the fourth to put the score at 9-1.
 
The Leopards bats got going in the bottom of the fourth after Zarrillo started off the inning with a triple to center field. Minghini than reached base, advancing on second on a Ram's error, bringing Zarrillo home to put the score at 9-2.
 
Minghini advanced to third on a fielder's choice and then a single by freshman Easton Brenner brought Minghini home to give the Leopard's their third run of the game.
 
VCU added three runs in the top of the seventh and one run in the top of the ninth to take the 13-3 victory.
 
In the Leopard's second game of the day, Rider (3-0, 0-0 MAAC) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the second off a three-run home run.
 
Lafayette got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second. With Ciuffreda on third and junior Kyle Chmielewski on second, Dorighi doubled to bring Ciuffreda home. Sophomore Justin Grech then drew a walk, loading the bases.  
 
Chmielewski came across home on a wild pitch to pull Lafayette within one run, 3-2.
 
Both sides played solid defense until the eighth inning when Rider added two more runs off a home run and added two more in the top of the ninth to send the game into the bottom of the ninth with a 6-2 lead.
 
The Leopards made a comeback attempt in the final half inning of the game after Brenner singled to center field with one out. Senior Dylan Minghini than doubled to left field to advance Brenner to third, and Zarrillo singled to right field to bring Brenner home and send Minghini to third.
 
Ciuffreda than hit a ground out to second base, bringing Minghini across home with two outs and cutting Rider's lead to two, 6-4. Junior Seif Ingram grounded out to the third baseman to end the game.
 
Up next the Lafayette Nine is a 12 p.m. matchup tomorrow with Georgetown.