EASTON, Pa. – The Lafayette baseball team dropped a high-scoring contest against Holy Cross, 12-9, on Sunday at Kamine Stadium on Senior Day. The seven members of Lafayette's class of 2024 and their families were honored prior to the game.

The Crusaders got on the board first, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning on sacrifice flies by John LaFleur and Gianni Royer. Holy Cross scored a run in the second on an RBI-groundout and then another run in the third on a solo home run by Chris Baillargeon, to bring the tally to 4-0.

Lafayette struck back in the fifth. Sophomore Ethan Swidler drove in freshman Matt Colella on an RBI-groundout, cutting the Holy Cross advantage to 4-1. In the top of the sixth, the Crusaders scored six more runs to take a 10-1 lead.

The Leopards responded in the bottom half of the sixth, as freshman Teddy Cashman drove in junior Michael Zarrillo on a sacrifice fly. Senior Michael Mallas lined an RBI-single to left field that scored junior Easton Brenner, and Colella ripped a two-run single to center field that plated Mallas and junior Ben Petrone. The next batter, Swidler, belted a three-run home run to right field, to make the score 10-8. The home run was Swidler's ninth of the season.

Lafayette cut the Holy Cross lead to one in the seventh. Mallas hit an RBI-single to center field that scored Cashman and brought the tally to 10-9.

Holy Cross added two insurance runs in the ninth on a sacrifice fly and an RBI-single to center field, that made the final score 12-9.

Jaden Wywoda collected the mound win, giving up five runs on six hits with three strikeouts over 5.1 innings of work. Jack Needham earned the save for Holy Cross, throwing 2.2 hitless innings during which he had three strikeouts. Freshman Tristan Helmick took the loss for the Leopards, surrendering three runs on one hit with a strikeout in 1.2 innings.

Lafayette is next in action when it travels to St. Peter's on Wednesday, for a 3 p.m. game.