The Matchup
The Leopards continue Patriot League play, traveling to Bucknell for a three-game series starting on Friday. The Bison won the first two games against Lafayette in their five-game series this season.
Rookie of the Week
Freshman pitcher
Tristan Helmick was selected as Patriot League Baseball Rookie of the Week. Helmick started the first game of Lafayette's series against Navy on April 7, recording his first collegiate win. The right-hander tossed a complete game, only giving up two runs while striking out a career-high six and scattering four hits over seven strong innings of work. It was the first weekly award for Helmick.
Pitcher of the Week
Junior
Joe Skapinetz was named the
Patriot League Pitcher of the Week on March 5. In the Leopards' second game of their three-game series against Delaware on March 2, Skapinetz came out of the bullpen and threw 5.2 innings in the 4-2 Lafayette win over the Blue Hens. The junior right-hander tied a career high in strikeouts with 10, and did not give up a hit or a run in his appearance against Delaware. The Far Hills, N.J. native retired 16 of the 19 Blue Hens' batters that he faced on the way to collecting his first win of the season. This was the first weekly award for Skapinetz.
Preseason Honors
Junior
Michael Zarrillo was named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. Last year, the 2023 First-Team All-Patriot League selection batted a team-best .280, along with clubbing 10 home runs. Freshman
Tristan Helmick was selected as the Preseason Patriot League Rookie of the Year by
Perfect Game and
D1BASEBALL. The Fort Washington, Pa. native comes to Lafayette from La Salle College High School, where he recorded a 6-1 record as a senior in 48.1 innings pitched, along with a 2.30 ERA.
The Maroon and White
Lafayette is coming off of a mid-week win over St. Peter's, 7-6. Senior
Blaze Fadio drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 11
th on an RBI-single. Senior
Drew Smiley collected his first collegiate win for the Leopards. Sophomore
Ethan Swidler continued to hit well, going 3-for-6 in the game and raising his batting average to .331.
The Bison
Bucknell comes into the weekend with an 18-22 record. Sean Keys paces the Bison in almost every statistical category. The senior has a .397 batting average with 56 hits, 16 doubles, 11 home runs and 47 RBIs. Tyler O'Neill leads the Bucknell pitching staff. O'Neill has three wins, a 5.53 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 53.2 innings pitched.
