PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Lafayette College baseball team handed the University of Pennsylvania its first home loss of the season, 9-3, Tuesday afternoon in the first round of the Liberty Bell Classic.
 
The Leopards were led by junior Pete Ciuffreda who went 2-for-4 with one run and two RBIs. Junior Kyle Chmielewski went 1-for-4 with one run and two RBIs and junior Seif Ingram went 3-for-5 with one run.
 
Starting pitcher freshman Joe Skapinetz went 3.0 innings in his first collegiate start, striking out two. Sophomore Joe Pence came in for 2.0 innings, striking out three and picking up his first win of the season. Junior Nolan Morr came in for 2.0 innings of relief and recorded his first save of the season.
 
Lafayette (8-18, 3-1 P) got a run across the plate first in the top of the third after freshman Michael Mallas got the offense going with a double to left field. The next batter, sophomore Justin Grech doubled to right center to bring Mallas home and put Lafayette up 1-0.  
 
Penn (14-7, 2-1 Ivy) responded with two runs in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 lead. The Quakers then added one more run in the bottom of the fourth to push their lead out to two runs.  
 
The Leopards took the lead in the top of the fifth and held on to the lead for the rest of the game. Chmielewski and senior Evan Kiah led off the inning with back-to-back hit by pitches to put runners on first and second with no outs.
 
Back-to-back walks by the Quaker's pitcher put Grech and freshman Easton Brenner on base to walk Chmielewski across home and pull the Leopards within one run.
 
Ciuffreda then singled to right field and both Grech and Kiah came across home to give Lafayette a 4-3 lead. The Lafayette Nine added one more run in the sixth to put the score at 5-2.
 
The Leopards then exploded for four runs in the top of the ninth. Grech started off the inning with a walk and then stole second to put himself in scoring position.
 
Ciuffreda was hit by a pitch and then both runners advanced a base on passed ball. One pitch later both advanced another base on a wild pitch with Ciuffreda advancing to third and Grech crossing home plate. A sacrifice fly by freshman Michael Zarrillo brought Ciuffreda home to give Lafayette a 7-3 lead.
 
Freshman Carter Dorighi reached base on fielding error by the Quakers and then advanced to third on a single by Ingram. Ingram stole second putting runners on second and third for Chmielewski who singled to bring both Ingram and Dorighi home giving Lafayette the 9-3 victory.
 
With the win, Lafayette advances to the next round of the Liberty Bell Classic. The second round of the tournament is slated for Tuesday, April 5 with time and opponent to be determined.
 
The Lafayette Nine returns to action on Saturday at Kamine with a doubleheader against Patriot League opponent Bucknell. They will then stay at home on Sunday as they welcome Navy for a doubleheader. The first game of both doubleheaders is slated for a 12 p.m. first pitch.